Gabby Douglas Falls On Balance Beam, Finishes Seventh

by UInterviewAugust 8, 2012, 12:00 amNews >

After helping win a gold medal for the "Fab Five" and the USA in the women's team final event last week and then going on to wow her teammates and her country when she secured the gold for the women's individual all-around final on August 2, new Olympic gymnastics superstar Gabby Douglas, 16, didn't fare as well on her last two days of competition, coming in eighth in the women's uneven bars final on Monday with a score of 14.900, and finishing seventh on Tuesday — the final day of the artistic gymnastics events — with a score of 13.633 after falling off the balance beam.

"I'm really disappointed in that performance," Douglas said after her slip, reports USA Today. "It could have been a little better but mentally I'm tired. But overall, I'm going home with two gold medals so I'm very happy."

National team coordinator Marta Karolyi also defended new golden-child Gabby. "She's a young girl," Karolyi said. "She wasn't in the limelight before so it was too much too quick. She wasn't able to focus the same."

Altogether, Karolyi is "very pleased with this young generation. Medals-wise, I am very pleased. Winning the team gold and all-around gold, the two biggest medals any country can wish for, we are very proud of that fact," Karolyi said.

At the end of the day, Douglas isn't going to begrudge her teammate, Aly Raisman, 18, her stellar night, in which she won two individual medals — one gold for the floor competition, marking the first U.S. women's gold in that event in Olympic history, and one bronze for the balance beam. "It wasn't my day to shine," Douglas said.

Teammate Jordyn Wieber, 17, who was positioned to be the favorite in Team USA's women's gymnastics but only qualified for one shot at an individual medal in the floor competition, also ended up placing seventh in her category. McKayla Maroney, 16, won a silver medal on Sunday for her vault.

For more on the "Fab Five" and the 2012 London Olympic Games:

Gymnast Aly Raisman Wins Two Individual Medals For USA

EXCLUSIVE: U.S. Olympic Gymnast Jordyn Wieber On Training For London Games

U.S. Olympic Swimmer And Aurora, Colorado Native Missy Franklin On Winning Gold: 'Pinch Me'

U.S. Olympic Gymnast McKayla Maroney

U.S. Women's Gymnastic Team With McKayla Maroney & Jordyn Wieber Wins Gold

EXCLUSIVE: U.S. Olympic All-Around Gold Medalist Gabby Douglas Talks 'Splurging' After Games

EXCLUSIVE: Olympic Gymnast Jonathan Horton Talks Competition Day Routine

Jordyn Wieber Eliminated From All-Around Final At 2012 London Olympics

U.S. Gymnast Danell Leyva Wins Bronze In All-Around Comeback

Does U.S. Gymnast Danell Leyva Have The Body For Gymnastics?

U.S. Gymnast Danell Leyva Slips From Pommel Horse, Team Finishes Fifth