In a disappointing turn of events, Olympic all-around champion Gabby Douglas has officially withdrawn from this weekend's U.S. Championships, thus ending her bid for a spot on the Paris Olympic team. The news was confirmed by a representative for Douglas to NBC News, who cited an ankle injury sustained during training this week as the reason for her withdrawal.

Expressing her love for the sport and her determination to push her 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." Despite her setback, she has set her sights on the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles and will continue her training in preparation for that event.

The winners of the U.S. Championships, set to take place in Fort Worth, Texas this weekend, will proceed to the Olympic Trials scheduled for June 27-30. Douglas had been scheduled to compete on three out of the four events at the Championships after failing to qualify as an all-around competitor.

Douglas recently participated in the Core Hydration Classic in Hartford, Connecticut, where she withdrew from the competition due to struggles on the uneven bars. Despite hitting a clean set in warmups, she experienced difficulty in competition, falling twice and earning a score of 10.100. This marked her first competitive outing since the 2016 Rio Olympics.

In April, Douglas made her comeback at the American Classic in Katy, Texas, finishing 10th in the all-around and securing qualification to compete in three events at the U.S. Championships. Her intention to return to the Olympics was announced during an interview on "Hallie Jackson NOW" back in February.

Douglas had originally planned to make her competitive gymnastics return at the Winter Cup in February but was forced to withdraw due to a positive Covid test. Reflecting on her decision to return to the sport, she revealed, "It ended rough for me in 2016, so I didn't want to end on that note. I want to make sure I end on love and joy instead of hating something that I love."

The 28-year-old athlete expressed her admiration for the current generation of gymnasts, stating, "We're pushing the boundaries and saying, 'Hey, you don't have to be 16.'" Notably, Douglas made history in 2012 as the first Black gymnast to win the Olympic all-around gold medal. At the 2016 Olympics, she played a crucial role in securing a second consecutive team event win for the U.S., earning her a third Olympic gold medal.

Douglas' decision to not pursue a spot on the Tokyo Olympic team was widely interpreted as a de facto retirement announcement. However, if she had been selected for the U.S. Olympic team in Paris, she would have become the first American woman since Dominique Dawes to make three Olympic teams.

Simone Biles, who was Douglas' teammate in Rio, is also aiming to secure a spot on her third Olympic team this summer. As the gymnastics world watches closely, Biles continues to showcase her unrivaled talent and determination.