Gymnast Gabby Douglas Opens Up on “Constantly Being Bullied” Over Simone Biles Comparisons
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Olympic Gymnast Gabby Douglas Speaks Out on “Constantly Being Bullied” Amid Simone Biles Comparisons
Gabby Douglas, a three-time Olympic medalist, responded to a viral TikTok claiming she’s been forgotten amid Simone Biles’ gymnastics career.
Gabby Douglas has the floor.
The three-time Olympic medalist responded to a viral TikTok claiming the gymnast had been forgotten amid the growing attention surrounding Simone Biles.
“I still never forget how y’all fumbled Gabby Douglas,” user @legacy.jai said in a July 31 video. “Y’all dropped her like a bad habit when Simone Biles came on the scene. Gabby Douglas used to be the greatest Olympic gymnast and then here comes Simone Biles.”
After the video went viral, Douglas took to the comments section to respond on Aug. 7, writing, “That’s ok! Constantly being bullied is very tiring and wearing on me. I just want to live my life and be at peace. Thanks for the love! Definitely needed in this world x.”
Douglas and Biles competed together in the 2016 Rio Olympics with the athletes helping to bring Team USA an all-around gold medal. The 28-year-old did not compete in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and suffered a foot injury ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics qualifier that prevented her from competing.
“I’m sad to say that due to a foot injury during practice I will not be able to continue my 2024 journey,” Douglas wrote on a June 2 Instagram post. “This may be the end of this chapter but not the end of my gymnastics story.”
As for Biles, the Paris Olympics cemented her title as the most decorated gymnast of all time. She left this year’s games with four new medals, bringing her total to 11.
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And when it comes to the future, both Douglas and Biles have not ruled out competing in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
“You never say never. The next Olympics is on home turf, so you just never know,” Biles told Hoda Kotb while on Today on Aug. 6. “I’m just gonna relax and see where life takes me.”
(E! and Today are part of the NBCUniversal family.)
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Golden Performance
Jordan Chiles, Hezly Rivera, Simone Biles, Jade Carey and Suni Lee celebrated after winning gold.
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Gold Zone
The Team USA gymnasts had some fun with their medals on the podium after winning the Artistic Gymnastics Women’s Team Final.
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Victory Lap
Sunisa Lee and Jordan Chiles waved the national flag around the arena to celebrate their win.
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They Did It!
The team was all smiles after hearing they had won the gold.
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Strut Your Stuff
Biles looked confident as she performed her floor routine.
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Reaching New Heights
Lee shined during her uneven bars routine.
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Winning Smile
Biles reacts after finishing her routine on the uneven bars.
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Milestone Celebration
Chiles and Biles enjoyed a sweet moment together during the competition.
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Medal-Worthy
Biles soared during the vault competition.
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Let’s Go!
Chiles had the best reaction after finishing her routine on the uneven bars.
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Jade’s Return
After falling during her floor routine at qualifiers, Carey returned to the arena for the team finals, where she dominated the vault competition.
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Olympic Routine
Lee delivered a jaw-dropping floor routine for Team USA.
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Mid-Air Moment
It was another strong performance from Biles on the uneven bars.
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Moving Moment
After completing her incredible floor routine, Chiles broke down in tears.
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Balancing Act
Biles hit the balance beam in style.
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Quick Recovery
Jordan Chiles fell while competing on the balance beam, but battled back to finish her routine.
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No. 1 Fans
The Olympian’s husband Jonathan Owens, who took a break from NFL training camp to fly to Paris, and mom Nellie Biles cheered her on in the crowd.
