NEW YORK —Jordyn Wieber knew the world gymnastics title she won in Tokyo last fall came with more than a flashy gold medal. It also came with a target.
Gabrielle Douglas found the bull’s-eye.
Wieber kicked off her Olympic year with a victory at the American Cup at Madison Square Garden on Saturday, though her third win in the event will come with a sizable asterisk after Douglas — who competed as an alternate and wasn’t eligible for the all-around title — stunned her more heralded teammate with a score more than two-tenths of a point higher.
“I wanted to put my name out there and show everyone what I’m capable of doing,” Douglas said.
Message received.
Though Wieber stood atop the podium with a bouquet of roses in her hands at the end of the day, she gave herself a “B” while calling Douglas “amazing.”
Dubbed “the Flying Squirrel” by women’s national team coordinator Martha Karolyi because of her gravity-defying routines, Douglas, a 16-year-old from Virginia Beach, Va., sent a clear message the country’s gold medal hopes in London go beyond Wieber and Aly Raisman, who finished second.
The opening ceremony in London is still 146 days away, but Douglas’ “win” only adds to the intrigue as Karolyi tries to settle on five athletes to take across the Atlantic in late July.
