Gabby Douglas Comeback Thread (New goal: LA 2028)

[RedBirdie]

Zeiss and Lincoln are headed to LSU in the fall.

 

[Big_rock_show]

How did Gabby qualify to nationals on other events? What did I miss?

 

[Rich]

How did Gabby qualify to nationals on other events? What did I miss?

From her American Classic scores. Just did not do Floor.

 

[Passion]

How did Gabby qualify to nationals on other events? What did I miss?

Douglas met the 3-event score for VT/UB/BB at the American Classic.

 

[Aeris]

I think the current Douglas situation would not be happening if she had better routine construction. At her first competition she would have scored significantly higher, and qualified into AA at Nationals, if she wasn't doing the Switch Ring on BB and Gogean+Ferrari on FX and Stalder 1/1 on UB. She would've had more confidence and less pressure on her after that competition. At Classic she was saddled with the dread of needing to qualify for Nationals, instead of feeling like she already belongs. There's no way that didn't weigh on her, and then the problematic Stalder 1/1 completely threw her routine off again.

 

[Jerkin]

So according to this thread, we got our first confirmation that she was back in training in October 2022 - 19 months ago. We don't know how much earlier she actually began training, but I didn't anticipate that she wouldn't have enough time to get into full routine shape. Which makes me wonder, what is a reasonable timeline for going from zero to competition ready?

I checked and according to her interview with International gymnast, she first got back in the gym in July 2022, so actually 22 months ago. I don’t think it was unreasonable for her to have thought she might be ready in time and I certainly thought it might be ok just in terms of tkming. But it clearly not so we’ll see if she is willing to accept that and recalibrate her goals or just give up.

 

[MaryClare]

I checked and according to her interview with International gymnast, she first got back in the gym in July 2022, so actually 22 months ago. I don’t think it was unreasonable for her to have thought she might be ready in time and I certainly thought it might be ok just in terms of tkming. But it clearly not so we’ll see if she is willing to accept that and recalibrate her goals or just give up.

Yeah, I don’t agree with the run out out of time argument at all. I think the biggest issue has been the approach of secrecy. It’s put extra pressure on her and left her with not enough competitions under her belt

 

[Laura722]

It took me a while to finally watch her routine (I was too nervous to watch it live), but it looked like she mentally checked out after the first error and couldn't regroup.

 

[Alinxz23]

Honestly it looks like she has a mental block and poor routine construction.

 

[CameliasFingerpaint]

Gabby’s UB warm-up. There’s a close catch and a missed connection, but can someone score this?

I just don’t get it. This isn’t the routine of someone who hasn’t put in the work.

 

[ArnoldRimmer]

DTY in warmups from Saturday.

 

[Aeris]

Look at the amplitude and how high she still is when the twisting has finished. She really could do an Amanar right now if she wants, I don't think that reporter soundbyte was fluff. I want her to succeed so badly, this can still happen Gabby, believe in yourself!

 

[ruby]

I think the problem with Gabby is that she hasn't done enough routines in a high pressure situation. Competing AA only for the 2nd time at the US Classic without doing particularly well at American Classic after 8 years away from competition, was just a stupid idea. I don't understand why they did not throw in a Level 10 invitational or two after Winter Cup did not work out.

And regarding her routines. It is typical Liukin to have his gymnasts compete routines they are not able to make consistently. Maybe he was trying to give Gabby her very own Nastia "I surprisingly fell on my face at Olympic Trials and got a standing ovation" moment.

 

[Denn]

That DTY looks fabulous — clearly an improvement in the repulsion phase compared to 2016 and earlier.

 

[Alinxz23]

Her beam was also uploaded, she honestly can do her full routines I'm more convinced the nerves are the issue.

 

[wishfulgoddess]

I really can't help but think that the NBC crew being so predatory threw her off. I can't imagine how much pressure there would be to know that they were going to be creating an entire narrative about you. I guarantee every NBC employee started salivating over the dramatic plot twist they could exploit the second she fell. I think the pressure of the environment brought back a lot of inner demons she thought she had conquered. I truly hope she keeps working on getting everything ironed out and goes for worlds next year.

 

[Gymmama]

I really can't help but think that the NBC crew being so predatory threw her off. I can't imagine how much pressure there would be to know that they were going to be creating an entire narrative about you. I guarantee every NBC employee started salivating over the dramatic plot twist they could exploit the second she fell. I think the pressure of the environment brought back a lot of inner demons she thought she had conquered. I truly hope she keeps working on getting everything ironed out and goes for worlds next year.

But she had to know and anticipate that going in, especially after Rio. Narratives built around returning gold medalists are nothing new. If you’re going to promote a comeback, you have to be prepared to deal with it all that comes with it. She’s not an amateur. And it’s not exclusive to Gabby. Simone and Suni are under the same level of scrutiny and would be exploited in the same manner should they have falls as well.

 

[Passion]

Different people deal with different traumas in different ways.

 

[irichluck21]

I don't understand why they did not throw in a Level 10 invitational or two after Winter Cup did not work out.

You cannot swap back and forth from Developmental to Elite in one season.

 

[navyblue]

Gabby’s UB warm-up. There’s a close catch and a missed connection, but can someone score this?

I just don’t get it. This isn’t the routine of someone who hasn’t put in the work.

I think it's like 6.3 D score and 8.2-3 E (using US Classic scoring, which was a bit generous) - so yeah, could've been a big number.