Gabby Douglas withdraws from the Core Hydration Classic

Following the first rotation at the 2024 Core Hydration Classic, 2012 Olympic all-around champion Gabby Douglas scratched from the remainder of the competition according to USA Gymnastics. No reason was given. 

In only her second competition since the 2016 Rio Olympics, Douglas, who was hoping to obtain her all-around qualification score (51.000) for the upcoming Xfinity U.S. Gymnastics Championships in just a few weeks (May 30 – June 2), started the competition on uneven bars, but only posted a 10.100 after falling twice and not doing her intended difficulty. 

Douglas faced obstacles before the competition even began. On Thursday evening, nearly 12 hours before her practice session was scheduled to begin in Hartford, Douglas’ flight out of Dallas was cancelled due to storms in the area. Through her agent, Douglas was able to catch a flight on a private jet, arriving in Hartford around 6 a.m. ET. Douglas reported she only got two hours of sleep, but looked strong in training and even showed a few new skills including a double layout on floor and a tucked standing full on the balance beam. 

Douglas has qualified to the U.S. Championships on vault, uneven bars and balance beam based on her performance at the American Classic last month, but is not eligible to petition to compete in the all-around. 

Douglas was not the only athlete to pull out of the competition. 

Heading into the second rotation, 2022 U.S. national champion Konnor McClain, who posted a 14.200 on balance beam in the first rotation, sustained an injury while warming up on the floor exercise. McClain was taken out off the competition floor in a wheelchair and scratched the remainder of the competition. 

McClain and her coach later confirmed the injury was to her Achilles, however, the severity of the injury is unknown at this time.