Olympic all-around champion Gabby Douglas has withdrawn from this weekend’s U.S. Championships, ending her run for a third Olympic team, according to ESPN. Douglas cited an ankle injury sustained during training this week. “I love this sport and I love pushing my limits,” Douglas told ESPN. “I hope I can inspire both my peers and the next generation of gymnasts that age is just a number and you can accomplish anything you work hard for.
She first announced her intention to return to the Olympics on “Hallie Jackson NOW” earlier this year. Douglas had initially intended to return to competitive gymnastics at the Winter Cup in February, but withdrew days before the competition due to a positive Covid test. “I have to give myself a little bit of grace,” Douglas said at a training in Hartford. “It ended rough for me in 2016, so I didn’t want to end on that note.