2012 Olympic champ Gabby Douglas pulls out of first meet in 8 years after testing positive for COVID

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Gabby Douglas' return to competition is going to have to wait.

The 2012 Olympic gymnastics champion pulled out of this weekend's Winter Cup in Louisville, Kentucky, after posting on social media that she had tested positive for COVID-19.

The 28-year-old Douglas was planning to compete in three of the four events at Winter Cup, her first meet since the 2016 Olympics, when she helped the Americans win a team gold.

Douglas, who is training in Texas, posted on Instagram that she was “crushed" by the development but promised to be back soon.

The Winter Cup is the first major tune-up for American gymnasts hoping to make this summer's Olympic team.

While Douglas is out, reigning Olympic champion Suni Lee will compete on beam and uneven bars. The meet is her first since the 2023 U.S. Championships. The 20-year-old Lee has been battling health issues for the better part of a year that have limited her training.

Other competitors in Louisville will include former NCAA champion Trinity Thomas and two-time world championship gold medalist Skye Blakely.

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AP Olympic Games: https://apnews.com/hub/olympic-games

FILE - U.S. gymnast Gabby Douglas displays her gold medal during the artistic gymnastics women's individual all-around competition at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, Aug. 2, 2012. Douglas pulled out of this weekend's 2024 Winter Cup in Louisville after testing positive for COVID-19. The meet was to be Douglas' first competition since the 2016 Olympics (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson, File)

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