Gabby Douglas withdraws from planned return to gymnastics after positive Covid test

Gabby Douglas, who was expected to make her return to competitive gymnastics on Saturday at the Winter Cup, announced her withdrawal from the event due to a positive Covid test.

Gabby Douglas, who was expected to make her return to competitive gymnastics on Saturday at the Winter Cup, announced her withdrawal from the event due to a positive Covid test.

"I was so excited to get back out on the competition floor, but unfortunately, I just tested positive for covid... I'm crushed but I'll see you guys soon!," Douglas said in an Instagram post on Thursday afternoon.

She was slated to compete in three of the four events on Saturday — vault, balance beam, and floor exercise — and would have faced reigning Olympic all-around champion, Sunisa Lee, in senior competition for the first time. Lee, who has been battling a kidney-related illness for the past year, is still registered for the event in Louisville, Kentucky, and plans to compete on uneven bars and beam.

Douglas announced her intention to return to competitive gymnastics at the Winter Cup on "Hallie Jackson NOW," earlier this month.

“I didn’t want to end this sport how I did in 2016. I wanted to take a step back and work on my mental state,” she said in the interview. “I love gymnastics and love pushing myself. ... I never wanted to walk away on a bad day.”

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/sports/gabby-douglas-withdraws-gymnastics-covid-rcna140074

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