Gabby Douglas leaves the World Olympic Gymnastics Academy amidst comeback concerns following her withdrawal from Winter Cup 2024
Five months before the 2024 Paris Olympics, Gabby Douglas left the World Olympic Gymnastics Academy following her withdrawal from the 2024 Winter Cup
The American gymnast was all set to make her return to the mat after a nearly eight-year hiatus in Kentucky. However, she had to step down after testing positive for COVID-19.
Within a week of her withdrawal, she hit the headlines again after she left the World Olympic Gymnastics Academy in Frisco, Texas, where she has been training under Anna Kotchneva and her husband Valeri Liukin, since 2022.
Douglas hasn't competed in any elite gymnastics events since the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, where she clinched a gold medal in the team event along with the "Final Five," including Simone Biles, Aly Riasman, Laurie Hernandez, and Madison Kocian.
The 28-year-old still has her sight set on the upcoming Olympics in the French Capital and could earn her spot to compete in the sport's greatest event by qualifying for the 2024 Xfinity U.S Gymnastics Championships, to be held in Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas from May 30 to June 2.
The gymnast will have to earn her spot to compete in the championships either through the national team camp in April or by qualifying in the 2024 American Classic set to be held on May 17 and 18, 2024 at the XL Center in Hartford, Connecticut.
The World Olympic Gymnastics Academy has groomed three Olympians including Kocian, with whom Douglas won the team event at the 2016 Rio Olympics
A look at Gabby Douglas' exploits at the Olympics
Gabby Douglas has secured three Olympic gold medals from two editions. She became the first African-American gymnast to clinch a gold medal in the individual all-around event.
The Virginia-born gymnast achieved this feat at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. At the same Olympics, she secured another gold with her team, the "Fierce Five," featuring Aly Raisman, Kyla Ross, Jordyn Wieber, and McKayla Maroney.
Three summers later, at the 2016 Olympics, where she last competed, Douglas secured a gold with the "Final Five" after defeating the Russian and the Chinese squad.
If the three-time Olympic gold medalist secures her spot in the 2024 Paris Olympics, she will become the oldest American female gymnast to compete at the Olympics in more than 70 years.