Gabby Douglas discusses the U.S. team, gymnastics changes, and more ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Gabby Douglas expressed deep sorrow for Shilese Jones, a promising gymnast who had to abandon her Olympic aspirations due to an injury. Despite winning six World Championship medals in just two years, Jones suffered a left knee injury during the U.S. Olympic Trials, jeopardizing her chances of making it to the Paris Olympics. During a warm-up on the vault, Jones' leg twisted unnaturally, leading to her immediate withdrawal from the competition floor as she clutched her knee in pain. Despite returning to compete in her strongest event, the uneven bars, and achieving the highest score of the night with 14.675, Jones ultimately had to withdraw from the Trials.

“I was heartbroken for Shilese because I know she has been through a lot,” Douglas, the 2012 Olympic all-around champion, told me in an interview. “We trained together. We lost touch over the years but then reconnected and had a very strong bond for a long time. I know she's a hard worker. She's a fighter. “I was very sad for her because I just know how hard she has worked for it.”

The U.S. Olympic Trials were overshadowed by injuries, with Jones being just one of the top contenders whose hopes for Paris 2024 were dashed prematurely. Skye Blakely, a two-time World Team champion, suffered a torn Achilles tendon in her right leg during practice, and Kayla DiCello, an alternate for the Tokyo Olympics, ruptured her left Achilles tendon while on the vault.

“Everyone's different, so I don't know, ” Douglas said. “I can't say for sure... they're a lot of injuries and a lot of unknowns.”

The five-member U.S. women's gymnastics team for the Olympics: 

Simone Biles, one of the greatest gymnasts of all time, will compete in Paris – three years after she pulled out of multiple events at the Tokyo Olympics due to the “twisties,” a temporary loss of spatial awareness in mid-air. The U.S. roster also includes reigning Olympic champion Sunisa Lee, 2020 Olympics floor exercise gold medalist Jade Carey, 2020 Olympic team silver medalist Jordan Chiles and 16-year-old newcomer Hezly Rivera.

Douglas, who returned to competition this year after eight years, said the roster features “a lot of good girls.”

“I believe everyone's in a good head space heading into the Olympics,” she added. “[The trick is] just kind of doing your normal, don't do anything less, don't do anything more. But yes, gymnastics is very mental. So once you can calm your mind and go out there just perform how you did in the previous meets, it'll be good. “I think overall everyone looks good. It’ll be interesting to see what happens,” she said.

Douglas shares a good relationship with newcomer Rivera, who is the lone Olympic newcomer. The 16-year-old is a two-time 2023 Junior World silver medalist and 2024 Winter Cup balance beam champion. In February, Rivera became teammates with Douglas.

“We actually trained together at WOGA [World Olympic Gymnastics Academy],” said Douglas.

“She's very sweet, very down to earth. So it's exciting to see what she's gonna do,” she said of Rivera, who will be the youngest member of all sports in the Team USA delegation headed to the 2024 Games. “I'm hoping for the best for everyone. I know how hard it is and that anything can happen. So I'm just really hoping that she stays healthy,” Douglas added. Douglas now has her sights set on the Los Angeles 2028 Games.

Douglas, the initial African American to secure the all-around championship, expressed that gymnastics is currently "less rigorous" compared to the past.She elaborated, "You have the opportunity to be more playful during competitions and entertain the audience, unlike our time when it was more solemn.""We were strictly prohibited from displaying any playfulness in front of the cameras after our routines. We were always expected to maintain a high level of professionalism, but now there seems to be more flexibility to express yourself freely."

Gabby Douglas, along with other athletes, has provided her DNA to Ancestry.com for analysis. She has collaborated with Ancestry, an online family history resource, to undergo an AncestryDNA test in order to understand how her genetics may impact her athleticism. Some intriguing discoveries from Douglas' DNA and trait tests include her preference for team sports, increased flexibility, and natural physical strength. Douglas expressed her excitement about partnering with Ancestry, stating that she had always wondered whether her talent in gymnastics was due to her DNA or her hard work. The DNA tests provided some clarity, revealing that she lacked good balance, which explained why she had to work hard to excel on the balance beam. She found the breakdown of her DNA results to be very interesting.