Shilese Jones, with aspirations to captivate audiences at the Paris 2024 Olympics for Team USA, took her stride towards this dream on May 29th, as she delved into the hustle and bustle of official practice before the U.S. Gymnastics Championships in Ft. Worth, Texas. With the women’s competition gearing up for its grand kickoff on May 31st, and the crowning of champions awaiting on Sunday, the air is thick with excitement and anticipation. For Jones, a spirited athlete with the weight of two World all-around medals upon her shoulders, each routine is a stepping stone towards her ultimate goal.

“It’s definitely a process. It’s a plan. I feel like you have to follow it.” She shared, her eyes gleaming with determination. Despite nursing a sore shoulder since her recent runner-up finish to Biles at the U.S. Classic, Jones showcased her resilience during the May 29th training session, her spirit undeterred by the physical discomfort. And by her side stood her coach, Sarah Korngold, who has been a pillar of support throughout her journey. But before Shilese shines in the upcoming competition, her coach joined an exclusive interview with Essentiallysports where she passionately defended Jones against critics who dared to question her consistency, reaffirming the spirit that propels her forward with each move.

In an exclusive interview with Essentiallysports, when the host Shreya Verma posed the question to Sarah Korngold about whether she believes Shilese Jones deserves more credit than she receives. To this, Korngold’s response was thoughtful and nuanced. Korngold’s uncertainty reflects the complexity of assessing credit in sports, where past achievements often loom large but shouldn’t overshadow current performances. She emphasizes the importance of recognizing athletes for their present contributions rather than resting solely on their laurels from the past.

Delving deeper into her viewpoint, Korngold highlights specific accomplishments of Jones that demonstrate her consistency and reliability as a competitor. She cites Jones’ performances at the 2022 and 2023 World Championships, “She went to Worlds in 2022 and did all around in podium, all around in team qualifications, three events in team finals. all around in all around, right. And then bar finals and missed zero routines. And then we went to 2023 worlds and she did all around in podium qualifications, team finals, all around and three event finals and missed one routine.”

By focusing on Shilese Jones’ recent achievements and her reliability in crucial moments, Korngold makes a compelling case for acknowledging her contributions beyond her past glories. As she puts it, “She’s going to go hit and she always hits in team finals. And so I think that she should get credit for that.” Her insights shed light on the intricacies of evaluating athletes’ worthiness of recognition, emphasizing the importance of considering both past achievements and current performance levels. while Korngold acknowledges that opinions on Jones’ deservingness of credit may vary among fans and observers, she emphasizes that those who work closely with Jones recognize her consistency and value to the team.

Despite occasional setbacks or criticisms of inconsistency, Korngold argues that Jones’ overall hit rate and performance record warrant commendation. “But like, overall, her hit rate is pretty good.” She also bemoaned from her personal POV gauging her trajectory that-“inconsistent where that’s that’s pretty consistent. And at championships, she’s been consistent. And, you know, at world trials, there was a hiccup or whatever. But I do. I know that national staff sees that and I know that the people that see us every day see that. And you can’t control the fans. But that is what it is.”

Her remarks reflect a broader discourse within the sports community about how athletes’ contributions should be evaluated and appreciated, highlighting the tension between past accomplishments and present achievements in determining deservingness of credit. But even Shilese too slammed fans for calling her inconsistent last year.

Shilese Jones shines at the World Artistic Gymnastics Championship and beyond

On October 1st, Shilese Jones was poised to dominate at the 2023 World Artistic Gymnastics Championship, her determination palpable in every graceful movement. By the close of Day 1, she had secured a position in the top 8 across all apparatus and in the all-around category, setting a formidable pace for her competitors. Her stellar performance culminated on October 8th when she won the event in third position with an all-around score of 56.766.

Following the triumph, Jones graciously shared her thoughts in interviews, addressing misconceptions about her consistency with resolve. “I think people portray me as inconsistent, so just proving the media wrong, proving everyone wrong, and showing up and showing up to do my gymnastics when it’s time to count,” she asserted. Looking at her this year, Jones placed a second-place finish in the 2024 U.S. Classic Women’s All-Around event with a score of 57.650, Jones continued to showcase her skill and dedication. Her remarkable performance on the uneven bars, where she outshone even Simone Biles, underscored her enduring commitment to excellence. With each routine, Jones reaffirmed her place among the gymnastics elite, inspiring admiration and awe with her pursuit of perfection.