American gymnastics legend Gabby Douglas will miss the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris after suffering an ankle injury during training.
The three-time gold medalist suffered the injury while training for the US championships this weekend in Fort Worth, Texas.
While the severity of the injury has not been revealed, Douglas is said to miss the U.S. championships, a mandatory step toward the Olympic roster.
His absence from this weekend’s competition will eliminate his eligibility for a spot on the Olympic team, which would have been his first since the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
Simone Biles and Shilese Jones are currently the favorites to secure their sports roster. Douglas’ fellow veterans Suni Lee, Jordan Chiles and Jade Carey are vying for Olympic berths.
Gabby Douglas is out of competition for the Summer Olympics in Paris due to an ankle injury
Douglas will miss the US Championships in Fort Worth, making her ineligible for Paris
An appearance in Paris would have made Douglas the oldest American woman to compete in Olympic gymnastics since the 1950s.
However, Douglas said she is ready to begin her recovery and will train to compete in the 2028 Los Angeles games; she then she will be 32 years old.
“It would be a great honor to represent the United States at a home Olympics,” Douglas said.
Douglas became the first African-American individual Olympic champion in 2012. Additionally, she won team gold in London and Rio. She also has two golds at the World Championships, the Pacific Rim Championships and the Pan American Championships throughout her storied career.
“I hope to inspire both my peers and the next generation of gymnasts that age is just a number and that you can achieve anything you work hard for,” Douglas told ESPN.
