Whether or not you actively follow gymnastics, you’ve probably heard the name Gabby Douglas before. She stands among the Team U.S.A. Gymnastics greats like Simone Biles, Aly Raisman, and Nastia Liukin. Just in case you haven’t, let’s take a look at the rise of Gabby Douglas.
Douglas stepped onto the Olympic stage for the first time in 2012 for the London Olympic Games. She became a member of the infamous “Fierce Five,” as dubbed by the media, which consisted of women’s USA members Aly Raisman, Jordyn Wieber, McKayla Maroney, and Kyla Ross. That year, they took home the gold medal for the team all-around and Douglas took the gold medal for individual all-around. Four years later, at the 2016 Rio Olympic games, Douglas returned bearing the U.S.A. name, and became a part of the “Final Five”, alongside Simone Biles, Laurie Hernandez, Aly Raisman, and Madison Kocian. As in the prior games, Team U.S.A. took home the gold medal.
The fierce competitor became known for her clean execution of skill, especially the back full-on beam. The full-back, a standing-back somersault tucked with a 360-degree twist, has become a move synonymous with Gabby Douglas in the world of gymnastics. Needless to say, just as quickly as Douglas became a three-time Olympic gold medalist, she also became a household name, showing her strength and power in each performance.
Then, in 2016, after her success in the Rio Olympic games, Douglas announced that she would be taking a step back from gymnastics, to prioritize her mental health. While she never formally announced her leave as her retirement from the sport, many wondered if Douglas would return or if her leave was the start of the end. In the years since, Douglas has stayed relatively private, also taking time away from social media and other platforms.
While mental health awareness has become more prominent in recent years, there is often a stigma against mental health struggles in sports, which dissuades athletes from speaking out or seeking help, often seen as a sign of weakness. However, it is important to note that professional athletes face extreme stress and pressure from their sport, on top of the pressures from within their personal lives. According to a study conducted by Athletes for Hope, among professional athletes, up to 35% of elite athletes suffer from mental health struggles, “which may manifest as stress, eating disorders, burnout, or depression and anxiety.” The nonprofit organization works with professional, Olympic, Paralympic, and collegiate athletes and aims to “educate, encourage, and assist athletes in their efforts to engage with community and charitable causes, to increase public awareness of and support for those efforts, and to inspire others to do the same.” Among others, groups like Athletes for Hope are aiming to change the way that we look at athletes and mental health struggles.
Like Douglas, other members of U.S.A. gymnastics have also spoken out regarding mental health struggles, including, most recently, Simone Biles. Biles also rose to fame around the same time as Douglas, participating in her first Olympic games during the Rio Olympics in 2016 as part of the Final Five. In 2019, however, while competing in the Tokyo Olympics, Biles pulled out of many of her gymnastics events, claiming that her mental health put her at risk of a physical injury because she was experiencing a case of the “twisties.” The “twisties” refer to when a gymnast cannot complete a twisting skill, despite having done it successfully before, because they lose track of where they are in the air. Following her leave, Biles actively advocated for mental health awareness.
Biles received a warm welcome when she returned to elite gymnastics after taking a two-year break on August 5th, 2023 to compete in the U.S. Classic. With the return of the G.O.A.T. (greatest of all time), as many refer to her, the discussion of mental health resurfaced. Many praised Biles for her transparency and willingness to speak of her mental health struggles and the question became “What can we learn from Biles’ mental health break?” Many saw her break as essential for growth, allowing her to reset and rebuild.
Now, Gabby Douglas is planning to do just that. After seven years away from the sport, Douglas announced via her Instagram account in July of 2023 that she is training again, intending to make the 2024 Olympic team and compete with Team U.S.A. in the Paris Olympic games. Now, her long-awaited return is set for this month as she plans to debut on February 24th at the Winter Cup in Louisville, Kentucky, where she will compete for the first time since her run at the 2016 Rio Olympics. The Olympic team will be named after trials in June and with the return of Douglas, it’s sure to be an entertaining competition. May the best gymnasts win.