Gabby Douglas Comeback Thread (New goal: LA 2028)

[Denn]

Well this is a shitshow.

When she was going to compete in Winter Cup, they were quick to use her comeback to generate publicity for the event yet they themselves have now complicated the process of returning. If they're allowing 2020 Olympic medalists to join the camp, regardless of whether they have competed in the years since, it doesn't make a lick of sense why they wouldn't allow previous Olympic medalists.

Interesting thought. Maybe the rule should be "If USAG uses your likeness to promote events, you can show up for any event you want to. And USAG will pay for your flight and hotel."

Seriously.

 

[RedBirdie]

Well, presumably Gabby met whatever qualifying score was required to compete at Winter Cup. But she didn't meet the fairly strict criteria for this national team camp. It's not like they used Gabby's likeness to promote selection camp being streamed online, only to not invite her.

Maybe Gabby submitted recent video and she's regressed. Maybe Chellsie feels Gabby doesn't stand a chance of being selected for a spring assignment. Maybe there's crazy ass back room political machinations that we have no idea about. Whatever the reason, they decided not to invite her. I'll be curious to see if she competes at American Classic, and what sort of shape she's in.

 

[makam]

While I think it would help her big O chances to have a recent international score, maybe she is focusing on getting where she wants to be and isn't looking for the disruption. Are we expecting Simone to go for any of the internationals? Or Jordan?

 

[Hatsumomo]

Jordan, yes since she hasn't competed internationally since Tokyo (I think). Simone, no. She has no need to. She showed more than enough at Worlds last year and the team this year will be built around her again if she does actually go for Paris.

 

[MaryClare]

They could easily have changed the “Tokyo 2020 participants” criteria to “Former Olympians”

 

[Passion]

Jordan Chiles went to Worlds in ‘22 and Pan Ams in '23.

 

[Hatsumomo]

Jordan Chiles went to Worlds in ‘22 and Pan Ams in '23.

Thanks for the correction

 

[Passion]

Maybe Gabby submitted recent video and she's regressed. Maybe Chellsie feels Gabby doesn't stand a chance of being selected for a spring assignment. Maybe there's crazy ass back room political machinations that we have no idea about. Whatever the reason, they decided not to invite her. I'll be curious to see if she competes at American Classic, and what sort of shape she's in.

Going by this tweet from USAG it doesn't look like they were taking petitions at all for this camp. You either met the criteria or you didn't.

 

[QuietColours]

Chellsie not being part of the selection committee means she wasn't involved in writing the rules here.
Honestly I think the most likely situation is they forgot about Gabby when they wrote the rules and felt the need to stick by them after the rules were published. It fits the kind of careless negligence I associate with USAG

 

[RedBirdie]

We also don't know how far in advance the selection guidelines were set. I don't believe they were published publicly, or at least they're not posted online where the rest of the WAG updates are.

 

[Passion]

Gabby posted this an hour ago. I think this is the Charlotte airport (but not certain). Entirely possible this wasn't taken today, so proceed with caution.

Douglas is at Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut tonight speaking at a Women's History event. She probably had a layover in Charlotte.

Women’s Leadership in Motion! An Evening with Gabby Douglas

Gabby Douglas is a 28-year-old American Olympic gymnast, producer, author, and entrepreneur, who is best known for her performances at two Olympic ...

events.trincoll.edu

 

[Doug1233]

She brings so many eyeballs to any meet and any USAG youtube videos I have no idea why they would refuse her to anything.

I reckon she didn't want to go.

 

[Passion]

GABBY DOUGLAS ISN’T GOING TO THE USA GYMNASTICS APRIL NATIONAL TEAM CAMP. SO, WHAT’S NEXT?​

By Scott Bregman - 28 March 2024

This week, USA Gymnastics announced the women who will be participating at their upcoming national team camp (1-4 April) in Katy, Texas, and three-time Olympic gold medalist Gabby Douglas was not among them.

The announcement comes after coach Anna Liukin told Olympics.com earlier this month that the 2012 Olympic all-around gold medalist was hoping for an invite to the April camp where the goal was to compete on all four events.

The camp is a selection event for several upcoming international assignments, including the Jesolo Trophy and Pacific Rim Championships.

USA Gymnastics said all attendees met at least one of the following criteria: "Current Junior and Senior National Team members; Senior athletes who placed in the top 12 in the all-around at 2024 Winter Cup and achieved the U.S. Championships qualification score; Junior athletes who placed in the top six in the all-around at 2024 Winter Cup and achieved the U.S. Championships qualification score; 2020 Olympic Medalists."

Douglas, 28, announced last summer that she is aiming to compete at the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympic Games after a nearly eight-year hiatus from the sport, but after missing February’s Winter Cup with COVID, Douglas has yet to make her competitive return.

With just three months until the USA women’s gymnastics team is set to be announced at the U.S. Olympic trials in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Douglas’ opportunities to show her level and make her case for inclusion on the Paris squad are running out.

WHAT COULD BE GABBY DOUGLAS’ FIRST COMPETITION BACK?​

The first opportunity for Douglas to compete comes in late April at the American Classic (25-28).

It would be a quiet return for the history-making gymnast as the event is held not in a large arena, but inside a gymnastics training center, Stars Gymnastics in Katy, Texas.

Douglas would need to petition to participate in the event, which she is eligible to do and a petition earlier this year to the Winter Cup was accepted.

Following the American Classic is the U.S. Classic, set for 17-19 May in Hartford, Connecticut.

The American Classic and U.S. Classic are opportunities for Douglas to qualify to the U.S. Championships (30 May-2 June, Fort Worth, Texas).

Results at the U.S. Championships will determine the athletes that advance to the Olympic trials, after which the U.S. team will be named.

https://olympics.com/en/news/gabby-douglas-april-national-team-camp-paris-2024-whats-next-comeback

 

[Passion]

We also don't know how far in advance the selection guidelines were set. I don't believe they were published publicly, or at least they're not posted online where the rest of the WAG updates are.

 

[Passion]

She brings so many eyeballs to any meet and any USAG youtube videos I have no idea why they would refuse her to anything.

I reckon she didn't want to go.

 

[Denn]

That's about as clear as we are going to get it, I suspect. Someone said earlier that Memmel is not part of the Athlete's Selection Committee. Her previous comments suggest that she is not on the same page as the committee.

Apologies for losing track: What is Scott Bregman's place in the gymnastics world currently?

 

[MaryClare]

That's about as clear as we are going to get it, I suspect. Someone said earlier that Memmel is not part of the Athlete's Selection Committee. Her previous comments suggest that she is not on the same page as the committee.

Apologies for losing track: What is Scott Bregman's place in the gymnastics world currently?

I believe Scott is currently a freelance journalist, but he does a lot of work for the Olympic channel.

ETA: I feel that Scott Bregman’s achievements are extremely under-recognised by the gymnastics community. From everything he did whilst at USAG, to his early days of setting up gymstands. That was such an important resource in the early 00s

 

[Denn]

I believe Scott is currently a freelance journalist, but he does a lot of work for the Olympic channel.

ETA: I feel that Scott Bregman’s achievements are extremely under-recognised by the gymnastics community. From everything he did whilst at USAG, to his early days of setting up gymstands. That was such an important resource in the early 00s

Thank you, L.

 

[rlayt]

I’d give Scott an award for all the work he did to make video available.

 

[irichluck21]

I know it sucks for Gabby not to get invited and its not a good look that Memmel misspoke. Hopefully she will learn from this gaffe and construct different responses in interviews.

That said I love the transparency in posting the criteria for getting an invite to this selection camp/meet. Better than the days where Marta (and Tom)made all the decisions based on their personal ideas as opposed to unbiased, straight forward qualification rules.

Hopefully moving forward the selection committee, if they repeat this type of thing in the future, will have the criteria posted way ahead of time.