Despite the negativity that’s been thrown at Gabby Douglas, from the harsh criticism of her not putting her hand over her heart for the National Anthem in Rio to the senseless, immature teasing of her hair on social media, the Olympic gymnast is turning the other cheek and continues to smile through it all.
As a matter of fact, she’s already looking forward to her next gig: joining the panel of judges for this year’s Miss America Pageant. The 20-year-old gold medalist was excited about being chosen. In a statement she says, “Miss America has been such an amazing event for so many years and I am excited to have the opportunity to judge the competition this year. The contestants are a great example of strong women across America and I especially look forward to hearing the platforms that each of them will represent!”
The announcement is fresh off of Douglas’ trip from Rio. During the 2016 games, she picked up her third gold medal and was the first all-around Olympic gold medalist to earn a spot on the second Olympic team. Although she didn’t qualify for the all-around competition this time, she did help her team win all gold and is a part of the Final Five.
The 2017 Miss America Competition airs live on Sunday, September 11th on ABC.
After the competition, Douglas will be packing up and hitting the road with her girls for a 40-city Final Four tour.
You go Gabby! We love you! Keep inspiring!
