Despite Online Haters, Gabby Douglas Had "Fantastic" Time In Rio

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From the outside looking in, the 2016 Rio Olympics definitely seemed like a nightmare for Gabby Douglas. And not so much because of struggles on the main stage, but mostly because of all that people had to say about her on social media. Everything she did became a problem. Somehow she went from being a golden girl to a target of ire by quite a few people online (the same people who were out here defending Ryan Lochte and calling him a 32-year-old “kid”). And yet, as she prepared to leave Rio, Douglas told People “I had fun.”

“Maybe people weren’t being fair on social media, but that’s social media for you,” Douglas said. “I just found things to be positive about. And there’s a lot to be happy about. We won the gold medal as a team, and it was just such an amazing experience. I came to the Olympics and won a gold medal! That’s still really awesome. I can only do what I can do, and if people want to say their stuff on social media, I can’t stop them.”

But where there was negativity, there was also positivity from people standing up for the gold medalist. The hashtag #LOVE4GABBYUSA  spread, which Douglas was more than appreciative of.

“That was just awesome,” she told the publication. “It felt really good to have people support me. It was a good reminder that where there is hate, love is more.”

So what’s next for Douglas? She told People that she’s excited to have some time to relax before heading back out with the Final Five to go on tour, which she says “will be a lot of fun.” All in all, the 20-year-old is looking forward and happy to be moving forward.

“It was a different experience than the last Olympics, but I’m happy with it,” she said. “I can’t wait to see what’s next.”