It looks like Gabby Douglas is back!
On Thursday, she hinted in an Instagram post that she has resumed training and aims to compete in the 2024 Paris Olympics, along with a photo of her practicing on the balance beam.
Her post read: “As you all know I stepped back from the socials and in that time I did a lot of journaling, reflecting, soul searching and found myself back where it all began.” She added, “it’s so easy to suppress and run away from facing darkness and fears.”
“For many years, I’ve had an ache in my heart,” she continued, noting “but I didn’t want to keep carrying anger, pain, sadness, or regret and through my tears and hurt, I’ve found peace.”
She went on saying she “wanted to find joy again for the sport” and is aware she has “a huge task ahead.” Douglas concluded the post with: “and even more grateful for all of your support and love. It truly means so much🖤 there’s so much to be said but for now….💪 😎 let’s do this #2024”
Last year, Douglas posted a different post to Instagram in which she explained her decision to step away from social media to “work on myself and focus on my mental health.”
“My life has never been smooth or easy. I have carried a heavy weight on my back for quite some time and it has weighed me down, physically, mentally, and emotionally,” she wrote. “So many things and people have tried to crush and break me.”
“I refuse to be defeated by this weight, I refuse to be hardened by this weight,” she continued. “I want to feel light and happy again. I want to be the best representation for all of you and be the best version of myself.”
She also added, “Sometimes we fall, we break, we fail but then we heal, we rise, we overcome.”
Douglas has always been open about her mental health and how it impacts her athletic career. She did not compete in the Tokyo Olympics, and according to PEOPLE she experienced backlash at the 2016 Olympics in Rio. In an interview with PEOPLE she said, “Maybe people weren’t being fair on social media, but that’s social media for you.”
“I just found things to be positive about,” she continued. “And there’s a lot to be happy about. We won the gold medal as a team, and it was just such an amazing experience. I came to the Olympics and won a gold medal! That’s still really awesome. I can only do what I can do, and if people want to say their stuff on social media, I can’t stop them.”
