‘Am I the only one who noticed the cut mark’: Strange scars on Gabby Douglas’s arm have fans concerned

The road to the 2024 Paris Olympics appears to be full of big comebacks from a few of the country’s top athletes.

Suni Lee, the 2020 Tokyo Olympic all-around gold medalist, appears to be a candidate to secure a spot on the U.S. women’s gymnastics team. Also vying for the positions alongside her are Simone Biles, the 2016 Olympic champion, and Gabby Douglas, the 2012 triple gold medalist.

After a break from training and competition, we take a more in-depth take a look at Douglas and her possibilities. Four years after making her Olympic debut in London in 2012, she regressed barely at the 2016 Rio Games, failing to attain her best result. Although she was unable to defend her champion title in the individual classification, she contributed to winning the team gold medal.

Many believed this might spell the end of the now 28-year-old’s profession, especially given the Washington Post’s reporting that the average age of gymnasts in the last Olympic Games were 20.6 years oldthe oldest since 1968. But the Virginia Beach resident is set to defy the statistics.

Over the past few months, Douglas has been sharing her training routine together with her 1.5 million followers using the hashtag #grinding24. A recent photo of her at the gym, with the caption “She’s at the gym tonight,” raised concerns.

Although her body is fit and athletic, and he or she is flashing a gorgeous smilemany individuals zoomed in on the disturbing marks on her arms, prompting fears that the pressure may have pushed her to self-harm with the razor.

Am I the only one who noticed the slash marks on her arms? Baby girl, I’m so sorry!” one person wrote.

One person explained, “He’s practicing the grip,” and added when challenged, “Dude, I literally did gymnastics for 12 years, the holds have to involve our wrists and hands. We have to wear wristbands/sweatbands underneath to offer cushioning and wearing them for long periods of time causes burns like carpet burn attributable to friction.

Someone countered: “If you look at her history, everyone supports her. Do you wear bicep grips?”

Grip burns or burst burns occur to gymnasts while practicing or competing on bars. Skin is removed or blisters appear on the hands or wrists consequently of repeatedly rubbing the hands against the bars, According to to Gymnasticshq.com.

In some cases, the National Library of Medicine states that these marks also can reach the forearms.

Most responses were positive, wishing her all the best, praising her fit and focused physique, and calling her an “inspiration” or saying her journey was “motivating.”

Douglas was notably absent from the list when USA Gymnastics announced participants for its upcoming national team camp in Katy, Texas, April 1-4, under coach Anna Liukin. confirmed to Olympics.com. This camp plays a key role in the journey to Paris.

Liukin stressed that to qualify for the team, athletes must meet no less than one of the criteria established by USA Gymnastics.

“Current members of the Junior and Senior National Teams; Senior athletes who finished in the top 12 overall in the 2024 Winter Cup and achieved a qualifying rating for the U.S. Championships; Juniors who finished in the top six overall in the 2024 Winter Cup and achieved a qualifying rating for the U.S. Championships; Medalists of the 2020 Olympic Games,” the organization reports.

Douglas, who missed February’s Winter Cup attributable to Covid, remains to be waiting for his return to competition.

With only just a few months left until the U.S. Olympic trials in Minneapolis, where the U.S. women’s gymnastics team will probably be assembled, her probabilities of showing her form and competing for a spot on the Paris team are slimming – which could also be why people think she’s under stress and should cause it to interrupt.

‘Am I the only one who noticed the cut mark’: Strange scars on Gabby Douglas’s arm have fans concerned