Douglas, a three-time Olympic champion, impressed Saturday at the American Classic in Katy, Tex., with a powerful double-twisting vault. The 28-year-old hadn’t competed in nearly eight years, but her difficulty scores on bars and beam would rival those of some of the top Americans. However, she began the competition with a fall on floor, then fell twice as she struggled through her routine on bars, her signature event. Those errors led to a low all-around total of 50.650 as she finished 11th in a field that lacked many of the country’s top gymnasts.
Jade Carey, the reigning Olympic gold medalist on floor, soared to Saturday’s all-around title with a 55.000 — a score that would be competitive with the other gymnasts firmly in the mix for Paris. Carey, who finished the NCAA season with Oregon State a little over a week ago, was solid on each apparatus. She scored more than two points higher than she did at any competition in 2023.
Each of Douglas’s three falls led to a one-point deduction, and landing errors on floor and beam also hurt her score. With strong execution on all four apparatuses, Douglas’s all-around total could be close to that of other top gymnasts, a promising sign as she tries to make the Olympic team for a third time.
Douglas became a star in 2012 when she won the all-around title in London, and she returned to the Olympics in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, helping the U.S. women repeat as team champions. Douglas hadn’t competed since the 2016 Games, and the lengthy layoff fueled anticipation for this event. She initially planned to compete at the Winter Cup in February, but she said the coronavirus forced her to withdraw, delaying her return.
The American Classic typically doesn’t attract all the country’s top gymnasts. The meet is held at the facility where the national team attends training camp, and only a limited number of tickets were sold.
Sunisa Lee, the all-around champion in Tokyo, performed on vault and beam. Her beam routine was excellent and earned the top mark (14.300) despite her decision to opt for a simple dismount. Lee, 21, dealt with two kidney diseases last year but has said she’s feeling better and returning to more consistent training.
Joscelyn Roberson, 18, returned to competition after suffering an ankle injury at last fall’s world championships. She performed on bars and beam, finishing outside the top 10 on each. Vault and floor are her best events, so her progress on those apparatuses is key to her Olympic hopes.
The elite season ramps up next month, beginning with the U.S. Classic on May 18 in Hartford, Conn. That competition, the national championships and the Olympic trials will be bigger tests for Douglas, and all the stars, including Simone Biles, are slated to compete.
Still, Saturday’s scores provided a glimpse into how a gymnast compares to other Olympic hopefuls. Carey seems to be on an encouraging path. While Douglas’s all-around mark is far below what the best Americans typically earn, her complex routines — and high difficulty scores — mean she has room to improve.
Many top U.S. gymnasts perform the double-twisting vault that Douglas did at the American Classic. She earned a 14.000, trailing only Carey’s score (14.200). But because so many of Douglas’s peers have similar ability on vault, success on that apparatus alone doesn’t do much to boost her Olympic chances.
Douglas made it through her beam routine without a fall, earning a 13.350 to tie for fifth. On her dismount, though, she landed with her chest down, which is a large deduction. Douglas’s difficulty scores on bars (5.9) and beam (5.8) would have been near the top of the field at last year’s national championships, and strong performances on those events will be key. But now there are just three competitions remaining for Douglas to make her case for Paris.
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