Gabby Douglas comeback: Everything to know about the gymnastics star's return to the sport at Winter Cup 2024

Gabby Douglas is recognized as one of the leading gymnasts in the world. She is widely known for winning the gold medal at the all-around in the London Olympics 2012. With this achievement, she became the first African-American woman to win the discipline.

Douglas was born to Timothy Douglas and Natalie Hawkins-Douglas on December 31, 1995. In addition, she has two elder sisters and an older brother named Arielle, Joyelle, and Johnathan.

Gabby was introduced to Gymnastics through her sister Arielle as the latter was also a gymnast. She saw her sister practicing Gymnastics and then tried her hands at the sport. Recognizing her younger sister’s potential in the sport, Arielle convinced their mother to enroll Gabby in the sport.

Having begun at the age of six, she relocated to West Des Moines, Iowa, in 2010. She moved in with a host family at just 14 and started training with coach Liang Chow. Soon, she achieved accolades at the national level and later went on to become one of the top gymnasts across the globe.

Where is Gabby Douglas’ hometown?

Gabby Douglas hails from Newport News, Virginia, and grew up in the vicinity of Virginia Beach.

How many gold medals did Gabby Douglas win?

Gabby Douglas’ gymnastics career has witnessed her clinch numerous gold medals at top international competitions. She has collected seven gold medals in major tournaments - Olympics (3), World Championships (2), and Pan American Gymnastics Championships (2).

Besides her gold in team and individual all-around in London, she was a part of the Rio Olympics 2016 team that won gold. At the Artistic Gymnastics World Championships, she collected two gold medals in team events in 2011 and 2015, besides a silver in 2015 in all-around.

At the continental Games, she earned two gold medals in team and uneven bars at the 2010 edition held in Guadalajara, Mexico.

What is Gabby Douglas' biggest achievement?

Gabrielle Douglas at the London 2012 Olympics. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

Gabby Douglas’ biggest achievement to date is winning the gold medal at the Summer Olympics 2012. In doing so, she became first black woman to claim the Olympics individual all-around title.

Additionally, she became one of the only four gymnasts from the USA (then) to win the event. She followed Mary Lou Retton in Los Angeles in 1984, Carly Patterson in Athens in 2004, and Nastia Liukin in Beijing in 2008.

The most incredible part about Douglas’ gold-medal triumph was that all the aforementioned legendary gymnasts were present at the venue. They watched her finish on the top of the podium at the prestigious Games.

Earlier, in the London Olympics, she was a member of the American team dubbed as Fierce Five. The team, comprising Douglas, captain Aly Raisman, Jordyn Wieber, McKayla Maroney, and Kyla Ross, claimed the gold.

Additionally, Douglas was the sole gymnast to compete in all four apparatus - vault, uneven bars, balance beam, and floor exercise, during the finals.

It was the USA's first team gold medal since bagging the top position at the Atlanta Olympics 1996, and the second gold medal overall in the event. This also made Douglas the first gymnast to claim both the team and individual all-around gold medals in the same edition of the Olympics.

Is Gabby Douglas making a comeback?

In February 2024, Gabby Douglas announced her comeback to elite competitions through NBC’s Hallie Jackson NOW as she aims to be a member of the five-member USA women’s squad for the Paris Olympics 2024.

She will be seen in action shortly at the Winter Cup 2024. The tournament is scheduled from February 23 to February 25, 2024, at the Kentucky International Convention Center in Louisville, Kentucky.

This will be her first event since she competed at the Rio Olympics 2016. Post Rio, she had taken an indefinite break from the sport to focus on her mental health.

However, in 2023, she discovered that she wanted to be back to competing again at the elite level. She had also posted pictures and videos of her training last year. She is currently training at the World Olympic Gymnastics Academy (WOGA) on her quest for Paris 2024.