America's newest gymnastics star will be the only American to compete in Monday's uneven-bar final-and she'll likely be one of only two gymnasts to perform without a spotter.
Though she will be without any help, Douglas doesn't have any nerves going into the competition with some helpful words from her coach Liang Chow.
"He's just, 'You don't need me anymore-you got this,' " Douglas said. "He knows I can do it."
Chow said he spotted her for the few months it took her to learn her current routine. "But after she mastered everything, why would I want to make her more paranoid?" he said.
He backed off.
"That shows her confidence, that shows my confidence. Plus if I'm standing away, I can see her technique better."
The confidence will help Douglas as she competes for her third gold medal at London. The 16-year-old already has led the U.S. women to a team victory and became the first African-American to win the individual all-around title.
Douglas was the only American to qualify for the uneven-bar finals, after scoring 15.333 to finish sixth on the apparatus in the qualifying round. The favorites in the competition are Britain's Beth Tweddle, who led qualifiers with a 16.133 score, as well as two gymnasts each from China and Russia.
