“Dark Horse”: Gymnastics Community Excited Over Kaliya Lincoln’s Petition Acceptance for Olympic Trials

A stroke of luck has just won Kaliya Lincoln a golden opportunity! The talented 18-year-old had last graced the mat on day 1 of the 2024 Xfinity US Gymnastics Championships. But, while excitement levels for day 2 were shooting through the roof, Lincoln shocked her fans with terrible news. She abruptly withdrew from the said event, engulfing her fans in dismay.

It also left people wondering about her chances of competing in the Olympic Team Trials without passing the Xfinity Championship. However, a recent announcement has brought a sense of relief to Lincoln and her fans. And it is not just a glimmer of hope but a ticket to Minneapolis.

Hours after the completion of the 2024 Xfinity Championship in Fort Worth, USA Gymnastics added an X post which truly compensates for the previous let-down. The official governing body declared that Kaliya Lincoln and Shilese Jones had their petition approved and received an official go-ahead into the Olympic Trials.

This news of the approval breathes new life into Lincoln’s Olympic dreams. It is anticipated that Lincoln will join Simone Biles, Skye Blakely, as well as 13 other gymnasts at the trials, which will commence on June 27th in the city of Minneapolis. Naturally, fans are ecstatic and prompt in their reactions.

Reddit rejoices over Kaliya Lincoln’s petition acceptance

Shortly after the declaration, @r/Gymnastics initiated a Reddit discussion titled, “Shilese and Kaliya petitions accepted.” Commenting on it, nearly all fans welcomed the decision. They provided diverse reactions- some justifying why she fit perfectly in the team, while others simply exhibiting excitement.

Expressing relief, a fan remarked, “Thank goodness. I think Kaliya’s FX potential could be crucial.” They also appeared discernably eager to witness her nail the floor routine and ‘go low-mid 14s to make her case for a FX specialist.

Another fan opined, “The way things are shaking up, Kaliya could be a good bet. With a Simone/Shilese/Skye/Suni team, the biggest gap is floor.” They echoed the standpoint that Kaliya’s command over the floor division will enable her to balance the USA’s Gymnastics team.

Similarly, a part of another fan comment read that the Simone-Shilese-Skye-Suni team will “never need her bars, doesn’t need her beam, could use her vault in qualifying but isn’t desperate for it in finals, and would kill for her floor.” Fans clearly deem her a floor-section paragon.

However, the highlight was when one of the fans stated, “Kaliya is my dark horse for this team. I think it could make sense to take her.” They believed Kaliya, a recent Core Hydration Classic silver winner on the floor was an underrated star and thus could be a reasonable choice.

“I’m always, always here for another chance to witness Kaliya’s spectacular, elegant, and awe-inspiring floor routine!” added another elated fan. The news of Kaliya Lincoln’s return to the race is widely appreciated. But the question remains: now that she has received the green signal, will she be able to live up to such loft expectations at the Olympic Team Trials?