Shilese Jones withdraws from 2024 Xfinity U.S. Championships

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2023 U.S. National runner up and World All-Around bronze medalist Shilese Jones has withdrawn from the 2024 Xfinity U.S. Championships citing a shoulder injury.

After podium training, Jones told the media. “They think it’s something with my bicep. It’s just really flared up. So we’ll see what goes on tonight. But [I’m] just trying to get as much treatment as I can.”

Looking well beyond Fort Worth, Jones is still coming for Paris gold and this decision seems to be the right call when it comes to her overall health, balanced with achieving her long-term goals. Jones is key to Team USA’s gold medal prospects in Paris and capable of bringing home hardware of her own in the All-Around and bars at the very least.

Jones is submitting a petition to compete at Olympic Trials June 27-30 in Minneapolis.

Per USA Gymnastics:

Complete selection procedures for the women’s artistic Olympic Team can be found in their entirety on the USA Gymnastics website.

Those procedures speak to the petition process on pp. 4-5. In summary: Any athlete seeking to petition for entry into the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials – Gymnastics must submit their petitions in writing to the Vice President of Women’s Program as soon as practical after the athlete becomes aware of her inability to participate in the process, no later than the conclusion of the 2024 Xfinity U.S. Gymnastics Championships.  The Athlete Selection Committee will make a determination on the petition as soon as feasible.

Any athlete whose petition for entry into the Olympic Trials is accepted will be placed onto the National Team.

Per Annie Heffernon, vice president of women’s gymnastics for USA Gymnastics, the selection committee should have a decision regarding Jones’ petition as soon as possible.

You really couldn’t ask for a better finish to the story that was Jones’ 2022 and 2023 season. With all the adversity she’s faced early on in her career came a calmness and sense of confidence that has allowed Jones to focus on her gymnastics her own way and she’ll take this time to continue that focus in order to be healthy by Minneapolis for Olympic Trials and later this summer in Paris.

Having lost her father in December 2021, Jones’ approach this entire quad has been beyond admirable. After finishing 10th at the 2021 Olympic Trials, Jones was ready to close the Elite chapter of her career. However, it was a conversation with her father that inspired her to keep going. Jones returned to Seattle to be closer to family and started training at the gym where her journey first began years ago. She also deferred her enrollment at the University of Florida at that time, officially setting her sights set on Paris 2024.

Jones has gained a great deal of perspective in the sport recently and what matters most. Knowing she’s right on the verge of her Olympic dream, she told us in May before the Core Hydration Classic, “I am super hard on myself, so I’m just taking it all in this year. I know my goal is right in my hands now. I’m following the same training plan and, you know, kicking the nerves off but also staying calm and focused at the same time.”

Jones’ success has also brought notoriety and exciting opportunities for her to bring gymnastics, life balance and overall health awareness to the forefront, including a partnership with Core Hydration, something she says allows multiple opportunities for her generation.

“We’re very blessed and you know, working with this partnership and having so many great exciting things outside of our training is just super exciting,” she said. “It inspires a lot of the younger girls. I look back at my younger self and never would have thought this was possible.”

She’s also so appreciative and aware of just how historic the senior women’s field is right now and she sees that as an advantage for everyone. “You know, we’re competitive at the same time, but we’re there to support each and every girl and athlete at the same time,” she said.

Photo credits: Lloyd Smith for Inside Gymnastics

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