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
Hilarious: Book Sheds New Light on Kamala Campaign's 'Tailspin' Over McDonald's Employment Claims

Funny Revelation: New Book Uncovers Kamala Campaign’s Chaos Over McDonald’s Job Claims

Among the most amusing and unexpected events of the 2024 general election…
Portrait of Tzipi Hotovely, Ambassador of Israel to the United Kingdom.

Israel’s Ambassador to Britain Expresses Distrust in BBC News Chief Over Comments on Hamas

ISRAEL’S ambassador to Britain says she has “no confidence” in the BBC’s…
Slovenia approves law to legalize assisted dying for terminally-ill adults

Slovenia Passes Law Allowing Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults

Slovenian legislators have become pioneers in Eastern Europe by passing a law…
Woman undergoing an MRI scan.

Tragic Accident: Man Fatally Injured by MRI Machine While Wearing Metal Necklace

A MAN has died after he was sucked into an MRI machine…

Tourist Boat Carrying 53 Capsizes in Vietnam: At Least 3 Dead, Search for Survivors Continues

AT least three people have died after a tourist boat capsized in…
Florida attorney general identifies wrongful charges under halted immigration law

Florida Attorney General Discovers Erroneous Charges Linked to Suspended Immigration Law

In late May, St. Johns County deputies arrested two men more than…
Democrats fume over new plan to house illegal migrants in New Jersey, Indiana military bases

Democrats Express Concern Over Proposal to Accommodate Undocumented Migrants at New Jersey and Indiana Military Bases

Military bases located in New Jersey and Indiana will soon serve as…
Pilot with 'ideological motive' steals small aircraft and disrupts major international airport operations

Pilot Driven by Beliefs Hijacks Small Plane and Causes Major Airport Disruption

A security breach involving a stolen plane caused significant disruption at Vancouver…
Trump Teases Imminent Release of 10 More Hamas Hostages at Friday Night White House Dinner

Trump Hints at Possible Release of 10 More Hamas Hostages During White House Dinner

During a dinner at the White House with lawmakers, Trump praised the…
Mayor Adams warns of dark days ahead for NYC if Zohran Mamdani wins

Mayor Adams cautions of challenging times for NYC if Zohran Mamdani triumphs

New York City would spiral into a crime-ravaged nightmare, unsafe for both…
What to know about arson and explosives units after blast at training facility in Los Angeles

Understanding the Role of Arson and Explosives Units Following a Blast at a Los Angeles Training Center

On Friday, three officers from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s arson…
Thousands of fire ants are forming rafts out of their own bodies

Countless fire ants create floating rafts using their own bodies

This army is in formation. Thousands of fire ants have been observed…