‘Joy is your strength’ Three-time Olympic gold medalist Gabby Douglas meets long line of fans in Chesapeake

Chesapeake, Va. (WAVY) – Newport News native and three-time Olympic gold medalist Gabrielle “Gabby” Douglas was back in Hampton Roads for the first time since 2012.

DICK’S House of Sport’s is celebrating its one-year anniversary in Chesapeake, not far from the resort city where she once trained.

“It’s good to be back home,” said Douglas.

Gymnasts from Chesapeake started forming a line outside of the sports equipment retailer around 4 a.m. Some in the line told 10 On Your Side they traveled from Smithfield around the same time.

A team from the Ocean Tumblers were excited to meet what many call a “trailblazer.”

“We came out to meet Gabby Douglas because all of our girls work so hard all season and they deserve to meet a gold medalist,” said Shanita Rheubottom, mom of an 8-year-old gymnast named Heaven.

“I’m happy to see her for the first time. She is one of my favorites,” Jasmine Gordon, with Ocean Tumblers Gymnastics School.

Amya Oberry adding, “She’s really famous and she’s inspired me a lot.”

Douglas is the first Black gymnast to win the Olympic all-around title and a team gold at the London 2012 games.

” … all the hard work and dedication and hours that I put in paid off,” Douglas said, describing the moment. “It almost feels like a movie!”

Douglas returned in the 2016 Rio games, earning another team gold. Then after eight years, she set her sights on the Paris 2024 Olympic games, but hurt her ankle during practice ahead of the U.S. championships.

“I had a rough go at it at my second Olympics,” Douglas said. “I wanted to come back and enjoy the sport again. I wanted to love it again. I didn’t want to end it on a bad note as far as hating something that I love to do. It was very fun for me. It was very cool. Just to go back out there, put on a leotard, compete in front of the crowd. Honestly, I’ve learned a lot from this journey… and will take it with me.”

While Douglas is healing from injury, she said she is praying for all the gymnasts competing in Paris.

“It’s a very grueling sport. I’m praying for everyone to come out healthy and safe,” said Douglas.

She is planning to pick up training to make it to the Los Angeles games in 2028.

“You can overcome anything, you set your mind to,” said Douglas.

Her advice for the gymnasts that look up to her, “have fun with it! Joy is my strength. Joy is your strength, have fun with it! Don’t try to put too much herself, too much pressure because the sport already has a lot of pressure that comes with it. It’s very serious when you get older. Right now on that [early] stage, just have fun with it!”

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