Gabby Douglas Qualifies for U.S. Championships and Gets Closer to Olympics but Still Has 'Kinks to Work Out'

"It wasn’t my best showing this weekend but was so happy and grateful to be back out there," Douglas wrote on Instagram.

Gabby Douglas' road back to the Olympics just got a little bit shorter.

In her comeback meet this past weekend, the 2012 all-around Olympic gold medalist, 28, successfully qualified for the U.S. Gymnastics Championships at the end of May, setting her up for a trip to the Olympic Trials in June — and potentially the 2024 Summer Olympics.

At the American Classic over the weekend, her first professional competition since the 2016 Summer Games in Rio, Douglas finished 10th all-around, but her high scores on the vault and the balance beam qualified her for the two events at U.S. Gymnastics Championships in Fort Worth, Texas.

Posting on Instagram, Douglas shared a video of herself on the vault coupled with a caption about her performance at the American Classic, which she said “wasn’t my best showing.”

Related: How to Watch Gabby Douglas' Return to Gymnastics? All About the American Classic

“8 years later…. well guys… it wasn’t my best showing this weekend but was so happy and grateful to be back out there on the floor doing what i love again. With anything there are always kinks to work out, get better and improve. I've never been more excited to get back into the gym and work even harder. Forever grateful for all of your love and support. It means the world. I love you guys and I'll see you in Hartford,” her message read.

The American Classic was one of the final two opportunities to qualify for U.S. Gymnastics Championships, the event that serves as the qualifier for the U.S. Olympic Team Trials (June 27-30) ahead of the 2024 Paris Games this summer.

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Douglas previously announced that she would make her gymnastics return at the 2024 Winter Cup in February. However, she tested positive for COVID-19 and had to withdraw from the event. "I was so excited to get back out on the competition floor," she wrote on Instagram at the time while announcing the news.

Related: Gabby Douglas Postpones Return to Gymnastics After Testing Positive for COVID: 'I'm Crushed'

In July 2023, Douglas also hinted on Instagram that she had resumed training and was aiming to compete at the 2024 Paris Olympics. “I did a lot of journaling, reflecting, soul searching and found myself back where it all began,” she wrote in part alongside a photo of herself over a balance beam.

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