Share this @internewscast.com

Gabby Douglas, who was expected to make her return to competitive gymnastics on Saturday at the Winter Cup, announced her withdrawal from the event due to a positive Covid test.

“I was so excited to get back out on the competition floor, but unfortunately, I just tested positive for covid… I’m crushed but I’ll see you guys soon!,” Douglas said in an Instagram post on Thursday afternoon.

She was slated to compete in three of the four events on Saturday — vault, balance beam, and floor exercise — and would have faced reigning Olympic all-around champion, Sunisa Lee, in senior competition for the first time. Lee, who has been battling a kidney-related illness for the past year, is still registered for the event in Louisville, Kentucky, and plans to compete on uneven bars and beam.

Douglas announced her intention to return to competitive gymnastics at the Winter Cup on “Hallie Jackson NOW,” earlier this month.

“I didn’t want to end this sport how I did in 2016. I wanted to take a step back and work on my mental state,” she said in the interview. “I love gymnastics and love pushing myself. … I never wanted to walk away on a bad day.”

Douglas has not competed since the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, where she was part of the second consecutive team gold medal for the U.S. women’s team. The team win in Rio garnered Douglas her third Olympic gold medal after she won two golds at the 2012 Olympics in London: team gold and all-around gold. Douglas’ all-around title made her the first Black gymnast to win the Olympic all-around gold medal.

Douglas never made an official retirement announcement after the Rio Olympics, but she did not attempt a comeback for the Tokyo games. At 28, she would have been the oldest gymnast in the competition at the Winter Cup.

If she is named to the Paris Olympic team, Douglas will be the first American woman since Dominique Dawes to make three Olympic teams. Her 2016 teammate, Simone Biles, is eyeing her third team as well.

The next major domestic competition on the road to Paris qualification is the Core Hydration Classic, which will be held in Hartford, Connecticut, on May 17 and 18.

Both the women’s and the men’s Olympic teams will be selected at the Olympic Trials this summer, which are scheduled for the end of June in Minneapolis. The gymnasts competing at the Olympic Trials will be determined four weeks earlier at the U.S. Championships in Fort Worth, Texas.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
US government contractor accused of stealing $46M arrested on small island, FBI announces

Fugitive US Contractor Arrested on Remote Island for Allegedly Embezzling $46 Million, Says FBI

U.S. and French authorities have taken into custody a former U.S. government…
Man dies after sneaking into closed section of popular national park

Tragic Incident: Man Fatally Trespasses into Restricted Area of Beloved National Park

A 33-year-old man from Hawaii has died after venturing into a restricted…
The future of war? US-Israel blitz on Iran unveils next-gen allied combat

Unveiling Next-Gen Warfare: US-Israel Joint Strike on Iran Redefines Combat Tactics

The United States and Israel are conducting a large-scale joint air campaign…
Cuba blackout leaves millions without power

Widespread Power Outage Leaves Millions in Cuba Without Electricity

Havana and other parts of western Cuba were plunged into darkness on…
Actress Nazanin Boniadi calls out lack of progressive activists before US Iran Operation Epic Fury

Actress Nazanin Boniadi Criticizes Silence of Progressive Activists Ahead of US’s Operation Epic Fury in Iran

Nazanin Boniadi, a British-Iranian actress, recently criticized progressive activists for their apparent…
Boat goes across freeway

Unstoppable Boat Trailer Mishap: Driver Flees Scene After Crossing Median on Busy California Freeway

A dramatic scene unfolded on a California highway when an unmanned boat…
Rosalinda Vaca released from jail in Waukegan, IL hit-and-run that killed pregnant woman Michelle Heidbrick, Lake Co. SA says

Rosalinda Vaca Released from Jail in Waukegan Hit-and-Run Case Involving Pregnant Victim Michelle Heidbrick: Lake County Prosecutor Updates

The family of a hit-and-run victim in Waukegan, Illinois, is calling for…
Peter Schweizer: Trump Has Ended the Bush-Era 'Pottery Barn Rule' with Iran

Peter Schweizer Claims Trump Has Abandoned Bush-Era Policy on Iran

President Donald Trump is not launching a new “forever war” with Iran;…
'Brady Bunch' house, used in exterior shots for the popular sitcom, gets Los Angeles landmark status

Iconic ‘Brady Bunch’ House Achieves Landmark Status: A New Chapter in Los Angeles History

Los Angeles is now home to a newly designated landmark that holds…
Arkansas man accused of killing daughter's alleged abuser wins GOP nomination in sheriff's race

Arkansas Man, Accused of Killing Daughter’s Alleged Abuser, Secures GOP Nomination in Sheriff’s Race

An Arkansas father, charged with second-degree murder for allegedly shooting a man…
Tens of millions more may be at risk amid rising sea levels, study finds

Rising Sea Levels Threaten Millions More, New Study Reveals

Rising sea levels due to climate change may pose a greater threat…
Democrat proposes cheap way to solve California's housing crisis

California Democrat Introduces Innovative Solution to Tackle Housing Crisis Affordably

A Democratic legislator from California envisions the solution to the state’s persistent…