Gabby Douglas Comeback Thread (5/29/24 Withdrawn from Nationals)

[Ginger]

Blakely was reportedly recovering from a cold, so it's possible that multiple things were going around. Alternatively, maybe they all had covid and only Gabby tested. Given the general laxity around covid at this point, that wouldn't be too shocking.

Gabby and Skye didn't train together though, did they?
Correct me if I am wrong:
Pease, Johnson, Rivera (+Douglas) - Plano
Blakely, Lincoln - Frisco

 

[Hatsumomo]

The implication that the WOGA gymnasts competed with Covid is just...ugh. Especially when there was a medically fragile gymnast competing. Which of course is the risk she decided to take, but still.

 

[RedBirdie]

Gabby and Skye didn't train together though, did they?
Correct me if I am wrong:
Pease, Johnson, Rivera (+Douglas) - Plano
Blakely, Lincoln - Frisco

Yes, those are the current groups.

 

[Sasha]

Gabby and Skye didn't train together though, did they?
Correct me if I am wrong:
Pease, Johnson, Rivera (+Douglas) - Plano
Blakely, Lincoln - Frisco

Thanks. I'll apparently never remember that there are two separate WOGAs!

 

[KristyJ]

As I said, seems like. Based upon what I have heard and what information we already know.

The fact that there’s no immediate transfer to another gym for instance. Very unusual.

To use a horse racing phrase, there is clearly a bug in the barn. Valeri’s other athletes appear to be getting over some sort of cold

I would be unsurprised, especially given Texas, if they didn't have people test and just let them travel and compete... Or if Gabby was exposed due to laxity I could see anger around that too

 

[Seyonne]

Maybe they asked her to leave because she wasn’t paying them.

 

[MaryClare]

Maybe they asked her to leave because she wasn’t paying them.

Is there any basis for that? Given the timing, it seems certain that it had something to do with the winter cup

 

[ArnoldRimmer]

It does look that way. Odd to leave over fees the day after the comeback competition.

 

[Jerkin]

Maybe they asked her to leave because she wasn’t paying them.

She's been training there since like October 2022. It doesn't make sense that either she would stop paying them after 16 months or they would wait 16 months to address her not paying them. Let's be realistic.

 

[JaJa]

The implication that the WOGA gymnasts competed with Covid is just...ugh. Especially when there was a medically fragile gymnast competing. Which of course is the risk she decided to take, but still.

I really think we should avoid complete speculation at this point. It can lead to unfair accusations and inferences. We have VERY little actual information. We know Gabby was training and we know she stated her intent to compete at the Winter Cup. Then a few days prior to the Saturday competition she announces she has covid and will not be competing. Then she announces she has left WOGA and Anna Liukin confirmed that she in fact had left on Sunday (one day after the Winter Cup). That is pretty much all we know. We all have our feelings and our theories. I am in the minority of us who never bought that the come back was real and I was not at all surprised with the announcement that she was withdrawing. But none of us really knows anything at this point beyond Gabby's stated reason for withdrawing and that she did leave WOGA the day after she was supposed to compete.

 

[Laura722]

Again, I don't understand "the comeback wasn't real." Did she spend all this time training and relearning skills for a fake comeback? I understand not thinking she'll make the Olympic team, but the idea that this wasn't real is baffling to me.

I agree we shouldn't jump to conclusions when we have very little information.

 

[Ginger]

Again, I don't understand "the comeback wasn't real." Did she spend all this time training and relearning skills for a fake comeback? I understand not thinking she'll make the Olympic team, but the idea that this wasn't real is baffling to me.

Agree.
How she qualified for Winter Cup in the first place?
Was she invited to November National Training Camp just to tease the fans and get press?

 

[Hatsumomo]

I think a few of the reasons why some of us had Gabby on our preliminary Olympic teams are 1.) we love a good comeback story and somebody making an Olympic team eight years after her last competition is a good one; 2.) we've all said Gabby has massive potential she hadn't quite reached and this was another shot to see her go for it; and 3.) she would have made "Joscelyn Roberson, Olympian" that much less likely.

 

[Sasha]

Update that clarifies exactly nothing:

 

[RedBirdie]

Covid positive to Covid negative in 6 days?

 

[Snowfan]

Covid positive to Covid negative in 6 days?

Yes it's possible.

 

[Laura722]

Well, looks like she found a gym.

 

[JDB]

I was symptom free five days after my initial Covid-19 symptom. I had negative antigen tests on days 6-10.

 

[RedBirdie]

Guess I was just unlucky. Symptoms had cleared up after 4 days but was still testing positive ten days later.

 

[Jerkin]

This is all just too ridiculous at this point, and it's taking attention away from the athletes who are showing full routines and trying their best to shine in the Olympic year. Suni too: the fact that we all had to debate whether or not a gymnast who received those scores at a selection competition should be granted a chance to compete internationally is not showing us in our best light.

If the other gymnasts want the attention that Suni and Gabby (and Simone) will inevitably receive this year, they are more than welcome to win Olympic gold, too.