Olympic gold medalist Gabby Douglas competes for first time since 2016

Three-time Olympic golden medalist Gabby Douglas is officially back. Whether the gymnastics star's return to nan athletics carries each nan measurement to nan Paris Olympics remains to beryllium seen.

Douglas, who became nan first Black female to triumph nan Olympic all-around title erstwhile she triumphed in London successful 2012, competed for nan first clip successful 8 years connected Saturday astatine nan American Classic successful Katy, Texas.

The 28-year-old looked rusty successful spots and promising successful others while posting a people of 50.65 successful nan all-around. Douglas qualified successful aggregate events for nan U.S. Championships successful Fort Worth, Texas, adjacent month. She will get different chance to suffice for nan all-around title astatine nationals erstwhile she takes nan level astatine nan U.S. Classic successful Hartford, Connecticut, connected May 18.

Gabby Douglas competes connected nan vault astatine nan American Classic connected April 27, 2024, successful Katy, Texas. David J. Phillip / AP

Douglas past competed astatine nan 2016 Rio Olympics, wherever she helped nan Americans declare a 2nd consecutive golden successful nan squad competition. She took an extended break from nan athletics but ne'er officially retired. The itch to travel backmost returned while watching nan 2022 U.S. Championships, and she's spent nan amended portion of nan past 2 years training successful nan Dallas area pinch an oculus toward trying to make nan five-woman U.S. squad that will beryllium heavy favored to triumph golden successful Paris this summer.

Her comeback, however, has been shrouded successful mystery. She was expected to compete astatine Winter Cup successful February, but she pulled retired of nan title conscionable days earlier aft testing affirmative for COVID-19. She has constricted property exposure, and dissimilar 2020 Olympic golden medalist Sunisa Lee and Jade Carey — some of whom competed astatine American Classic — she opted not to participate successful podium training connected Friday.

Douglas walked retired onto nan level astir an hr earlier title and showed flashes of what turned her into a prima successful London. Her double-twisting Yurchenko connected vault had plentifulness of amplitude and connected bars — her champion arena — she had nan pieces of a regular that would surely beryllium competitory astatine nan elite level.

The situation will beryllium uncovering a measurement to put each nan pieces together consistently.

Douglas came disconnected bars doubly and her level regular lacked nan crispness and endurance to stack up pinch what will beryllium required for anyone hoping to make a superior bid for nan Olympic team.

There is clip for Douglas, but not much. The U.S. Classic is successful 3 weeks. The U.S. Championships are successful 5 and nan Olympic Trials await successful Minneapolis successful precocious June.

Carey, who won golden connected level workout successful Tokyo, captured nan all-around pinch a people of 55.000 while besides signaling nan apical scores connected vault and floor. Lee, who has dealt pinch kidney-related wellness issues nan past 2 years, put together a dazzling bars regular to triumph easy pinch a people of 15.200.

In:
• Gymnastics
• Olympics
• USA Gymnastics