Gabby Douglas and Simone Biles‘ rivalry has stood the test of time, literally and figuratively. Initially, both parts of the same doyen of the Final Five in the 2016 Rio Olympics who were kindred spirits on and off the mats, what stoked the flame of their rivalry harkens back to when Douglas let slip a comment about sexual assault faced by gymnastics buddy Aly Raisman. The tweet has since been deleted; it said, “It is our responsibility as women to dress modestly and be classy.”

It concerned a name that was all too familiar for Simone Biles and the 90 other claimants (according to a California firm report in 2022), former USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar. Fast forward to 2024, and Gabby, who has not competed since the Rio, is returning after an 8-year hiatus. With Paris being the singular goal for them, they are two peas in a pod. Underscored by mental health struggles, the Team USA duo has been through oddly similar journeys.

 Simone Biles and Gabby Douglas – a tumultuous journey of odds

The first Black American gymnast to win Olympic all-around gold, the first from Team USA to secure gold in both individual and team events, and winning three Olympic golds overall, Douglas has been a trailblazer. Announcing her comeback to gymnastics last July, and now aiming for the 2024 Olympics, 2012 Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year shared her experiences with EBONY over Zoom.

The journey of these eight years wasn’t that easy—she took a break so that she could focus on her mental health. Douglas said, “I took a break from 2016 until 2022 and after watching a good friend competing, I just missed it, I had a rough go at the 2016 Olympics, but I never wanted to end my career on a bad note.”

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“I never wanted to hate something I love, so I knew I wanted to get back into it. I’ve taken baby steps, but I’m excited… For my mental health, I do a lot of stepping back, self-reflecting and journaling,” she explained.

Despite the 28-year-old announcing that she would appear at the Winter Cup in February, fans’ excitement and hype were cut short as she contracted COVID just three days before the event. Then, Gabby was waiting for an invite to come her way for the USA Gymnastics April National Team Camp this year, but she failed to meet the eligibility criteria. The selection event had the following eligibility rules laid out for the attendees,

They must be “Current Junior and Senior National Team members; Senior athletes who placed in the top 12 in the all-around at 2024 Winter Cup and achieved the U.S. Championships qualification score; Junior athletes who placed in the top six in the all-around at 2024 Winter Cup and achieved the U.S. Championships qualification score; 2020 Olympic Medalists.”

But her time has finally arrived—after eight years, with what would be an underwhelming stage in a Texas training center that would see no screaming crowd and TV coverage waiting for her—to re-launch herself. But whatever happens, it will set the stage for her third Olympic outing. As for Simone, her comeback last year was perfection.

Simone Biles competed in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics but withdrew during the vault event due to the “twisties”. She then announced, two years after, her easy return with a record eighth U.S. all-around as well as sixth World all-around crowns. While that paints a very convincing picture professionally for Biles, years of absence was marked by experiencing a process that demanded patience; patience to heal from not holding “a lot of guilt that is not mine to hold.”

In a podcast that was out this month, she elaborated on her present situation, “That was the hardest for me to process. And I learned through therapy that, ‘Yes, this is not my guilt to hold. But to convince myself that, is easier said than done. I think I am still working on that. In therapy, it has gotten a lot better and I feel comfortable and now, I can have conversations and stuff like that. But yeah, I have good days; I have bad days. But I also know that (that) doesn’t define me.” 

There is so much more in the offing for these two. Is it just Paris or does it go beyond yonder?

The formidable duo has more to them than meets the eye

After a two-year hiatus, Biles returned in August 2023, proving her readiness for the 2024 Olympics with her sixth individual world title in Belgium and her eighth national all-around individual title. She also amazed the world with her Yurchenko double pike vault, now known as Biles II. During a 2023 appearance on the TODAY show, the seven-time Olympic medalist mentioned, “That’s the path that I would love to go.”

Biles mentioned in an interview with CNBC that she had been focusing on personal development, continuing weekly therapy sessions, and felt thrilled to regain the confidence she had before. Meanwhile, Douglas, the 2015 World all-around silver medalist, missed last month’s Winter Cup but is now concentrating on the upcoming international games, as per a representative speaking to Inside Gymnastics. Douglas has also prioritized her physical well-being through cryotherapy, acupuncture, and icing, which have been crucial for her health this season. She also partnered with Dr. Scholl’s as their latest celebrity ambassador.

Fans are eagerly anticipating the comebacks of both Biles and Douglas at the Paris Olympics in 2024, eager to see them on the mat being the best at what they do the best in the world!