Remember the “Final Five” from the Rio Olympics? The same team that won team gold with Simone Biles, Aly Raisman, and others. Now, one name from that group might be back for the LA 2028 Olympics. While Simone Biles has not given any clear answer, 3x Olympic champion Gabby Douglas has stirred conversation among fans. After returning to competition in 2024 following an 8-year break, she stepped back at the American Classic, only for an injury to end her Paris Olympics dream. Now, with old comments resurfacing, fans are discussing the possibility because of a specific statement she made in 2024.

On June 22, Inside Gymnastics Magazine added fuel to the speculation by sharing her earlier words: “My plan is to continue to train for the LA 2028 Olympics. It would be such an honour to represent the U.S. at a home Olympics.” These comments were made after her withdrawal from the 2024 U.S. Championships due to an ankle injury.

However, Douglas’ comeback is not officially confirmed, and she has not shared much of her training on social media. In fact, the last notable clip came in January 2025, when she posted a beam training moment on Instagram. Since then, there has been very little seen of her preparation, but the question arises: Is her comeback really possible?

By the time LA 2028 arrives, Douglas will be 31. It is not impossible, but it is rare in women’s gymnastics, especially after a long break and injury setbacks. Still, she has shown excitement about the Games being held in the United States, saying in 2024, “I’m super excited for the Games to come to my hometown. I love California. It’s beautiful. The Olympics hasn’t been hosted in the U.S. for a very long time.”

Douglas is no stranger to Olympic glory either. She was the first black gymnast to capture all-around gold at the 2012 Olympic Games in London and a member of the 2012 and 2016 U.S. Olympic gold medal-winning teams. However, as speculations about her return grow, opinions are far from unanimous.

Fans split as Gabby Douglas’ comeback journey sparks debate after 2024 return

“Yes ma’am, gymnastics royalty back for another run. Go Gabby,” one added. Another added, “If she LOCKS in, she had a great shot because the skills she has are very current and needed! She could be very useful for Team USA!”

The reaction isn’t simply emotional, as Gabby Douglas, when healthy, has won multiple Olympic gold medals. Even after her long 8-year break, the gold medalist’s routines in 2024 were clean. In her first comeback event at the American Classic in 2024, she finished 10th in the all-around with a total of 50.65. While that may not sound incredibly impressive, there were still moments that stood out, like her 14.00 on vault and 13.35 on the balance beam.

Gabby Douglas herself said, “I proved to myself and to the sport that my skills remain at an elite level.” The 31-year-old’s career success, and just on the Olympic stage, is also why fans still talk about her potential return. Douglas is a two-time World Championships team gold medallist from 2011 (Tokyo) and 2015 (Glasgow), where she also won an individual all-around silver.

Even her earlier journey shows the same pattern of resilience. In 2009, she suffered a knee injury during a floor routine at the U.S. Championships. Instead of stopping completely, she adjusted and competed only on select events like beam and floor, and managed a 5th-place finish on balance beam.

However, not everyone believes it will be easy. A fan added, “too old to compete in the Olympics.” Another wrote, “She needs to learn when to quit.” It’s a genuine concern as most elite gymnasts retire before reaching their mid-20s due to the strain it places on the body, with the majority peaking between the ages of 16 and 22. However, there are exceptions. Oksana Chusovitina appeared in a total of eight Olympic Games from 1992 to 2021 and attempted to qualify for Paris.

Even more recently, Simone Biles made history at Paris 2024. She won three gold medals, including becoming the first female to win all-around gold at 27.  However, after the achievement, Biles spoke openly about the physical strain she felt during the Games and how recovery took longer at that stage of her career. It may be one of the reasons why Biles hasn’t confirmed that she’ll compete at LA 2028.

However, some remain hopeful. “I hope she starts competing next year… be more prepared than she was for 2024,” read one comment. The 2024 comeback proved to be a real challenge for Douglas. At the Core Hydration Classic (May 18, 2024) Douglas fell twice on the uneven bars in her first rotation. Following this, she pulled out of the rest of her competition and ended her stay at the event.

So, while the Olympic medalist’s 2024 statement may have stirred up the conversation, fans will have to wait and see if she actually comes back.