Gabby Douglas shares heartbreaking 'behind-the-scenes' of failed Paris Olympics bid - "Feel free to laugh" 

Gabby Douglas shared a heartbreaking behind-the-scenes look at her preparations for the 2024 Paris Olympics. The gymnast had last competed in 2016 before making a comeback last season but failed to qualify for the Games after suffering an ankle injury.

Douglas shared the glimpses of her preparations for the Games in a video on her Instagram handle, and the gymnast could be seen falling multiple times while performing her routines. The 2012 all-around Olympic champion shared multiple pictures of her hands getting bruised due to the grip and wrote:

"happy Wednesday. never showed you guys bts of the 2024 journey 🖤 feel free to laugh…⚠️BLOOD WARNING⚠️."

Douglas announced her intentions of making a comeback in 2023, and after delaying it for few weeks, the 29-year-old returned to her first competition in nearly eight years at the 2024 American Classic. She finished 10th in the all-around competition while earning a silver on vault.

Just when the 29-year-old was looking like one of the prospects to make the Olympic team, she withdrew from the U.S. Classic before suffering an ankle injury during preparations for the U.S. Gymnastics National Championships. Douglas withdrew from the event as well as the following month's Olympic trials, marking an end of her comeback bid.

However, the three-time Olympic champion didn't give up and plans to compete at the LA 2028 Olympics.

"I proved to myself and to the sport that my skills remain at an elite level. My plan is to continue to train for the L.A. 2028 Olympics. It would be such an honor to represent the U.S. at a home Olympics", Gabby Douglas told ESPN.

The 29-year-old was the first African American gymnast in history to win the Olympic all-around title on her debut at the 2012 London Games, where she also won the gold medal in the team competition. She teamed up with Simone Biles and other members of the "Final Five" to win another gold medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

---

Gabby Douglas defended Simone Biles and US Gymnastics team over criticism from MyKayla Skinner

Gymnastics - 2024 Core Hydration Classic - Gabby Douglas, Simone Biles and Suni lee (Source: Getty)

2020 Tokyo Olympics medalist MyKayla Skinner caused public outcry last year ahead of the Paris Olympics when she claimed that US Gymnastics team members didn't have a strong work ethic.

"Besides Simone, I feel like the talent and the depth just isn't like what it used to be. The girls just don't have the work ethic," Skinner said.

While Skinner apologized for her comments afterward, she had called for an aggressive and intense training regimen. However, Gabby Douglas, who spent the majority of her career under the strict coaching of Martha Karolyi, didn't agree with the retired gymnast.

"Honestly, if you have a certain way of doing things, listen to your body. If you don't need hours of pounding or you don't need a tougher coach, and it works for you, then I say why not structure around how your mind is, how your body is?," Gabby Douglas told E! News.

Biles and the US women's gymnastics team put up a dominating performance at the 2024 Paris Olympics, and won the gold medal in the team competition. Biles, who won two more gold medals in all-around and vault exercise competition, later took a cheeky dig at Skinner as well.