Shawn Johnson on Gabby Douglas: “She’s fought her way back to this on her own, and it’s really admirable.”
Three-time Olympic gymnastics champion Gabby Douglas has one special fan pulling for her after a disappointing outing at the recent U.S. Classic: 2008 Olympic balance beam champion Shawn Johnson.
“She’s one of the most talented gymnasts I’ve ever seen. I remember [coach Liang] Chow even saying that,” said Johnson in a recent episode of her YouTube show ‘Couple Things’ alongside her husband Andrew East. “We got to train together for almost four years. I adore her. I adore everything that she is. I think she’s a phenomenal human. I think she is made of steel.”
Douglas is returning to the sport after nearly eight years away.
Johnson on Douglas' Paris Olympic quest
Comebacks are something that Johnson knows a thing or two about, after having launched her own in 2010 and 2011 in an attempt to make a return trip to the Olympic Games London 2012.
Though Johnson fell short, she did win team gold as part of the U.S. squad at the 2011 Pan American Games.
“She has persevered and she has come back into the sport. She looks like an actual beast of an athlete, she looks stronger than she’s ever looked,” said Johnson. “Watching her in warmups and watching her get ready to compete, she looks amazing and it just made me so, so proud to see.
“I think she’s fought her way back to this on her own and it’s really admirable,” Johnson concluded.
East also lauded Douglas’ return.
“For her to have the courage to step into that and say, ‘I’m doing it because I love it,’ I got chills even thinking about it like that,” he said. “That is amazing what she did and it’s not easy.”
Douglas’ errors at the U.S. Classic and subsequent withdrawal from the event after one routine along with a subpar performance at last month’s American Classic mean that the London 2012 all-around champion missed out on all-around qualification to next week’s U.S. championships in Dallas.
However, her scores from the American Classic were enough to qualify her on the vault, uneven bars and balance beam to the event.
After Douglas’ withdrawal at the U.S. Classic, her participation seems less than certain.
But Johnson, for one, hopes to see her former training partner go for it.
“I really, really, really want to see her at the next competition. I just want her to know… she’s got an army of people out there supporting her and wanting nothing but the best for her,” said Johnson. “If that means she’s done, and she’s like, ‘Oh, this actually isn’t my thing anymore,’ great. I support her.
“But, if she wants to give it another shot, I just want her to know, no trolling on this side,” she continued. “Gabby, you’re a frickin’ boss.”