Gabby Douglas is Back in the Gym!

Gabby Douglas is Back in the Gym!

May 20, 2013 by Anne Phillips
Gabby Douglas is Back in the Gym!

Gabby Douglas at the 2012 Visa Championships. Photo by Melissa Persenson.

It's official. 2012 Olympic All Around Champion Gabby Douglas is back in the gym.

Gabby and mother Natalie Hawkins have returned to Iowa to resume training at Chow's Gymnastics and Dance. Douglas told us in March that she intended to return to the gym in May, and despite numerous sponsorships and appearances, she has followed through with her plan. 

According to a recent article on yahoo news, Douglas had her first training session since the Olympic Games Monday afternoon following a meeting with coach Liang Chow to discuss her comeback plan. 


Gabby Douglas and coach Liang Chow at the 2012 Olympic Games. Photo by Larry Nassar.

Douglas has spent nine months away from gymnastics while touring the country, first on the Kellogg's Tour with her Fierce Five teammates, and later while promoting her two books and making numerous celebrity appearances.

The first challenge will be to get back into shape. "I did warn her, 'If you think preparing for London was hard, preparing for Rio will be harder.' There's many challenges ahead of us," Chow told The Associated Press. Additionally, she'll need to be very patient with herself as she relearns her skills. 

At just 17 years old, she does have a great chance of a successful return to competition. She made a meteoric rise in the year leading up to the Olympics, seeming to get better each day leading up to the Games. She may even have more room for improvement, as long as she can stay dedicated. 

Douglas will not compete this year as she will not have enough time to return to gymnastics shape and regain her skills. Right now, Chow says 2014 is "an excellent possibility" for the Olympic Champion to return to competition.

And just like that, four out of five members of the Fierce Five - Jordyn Wieber, Kyla Ross, McKayla Maroney, and Douglas - are back in the gym. Aly Raisman is currently in the finals of Dancing with the Stars, however she has clearly stated her intentions to return to the gym. Click here to watch a recent training session with Wieber. 

Do you think the "Flying Squirrel" will see it through to 2014 and beyond? Chime in on the poll below and see what other readers think.

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