Team USA has not had the ideal start to the U.S. Olympic Gymnastics Trials! The vigor that was at a fever pitch came crashing down on Day 1, when Shilese Jones got injured during her vault warm-up session. Subsequently, she withdrew from the Trials after posting a 14.675 score on uneven bars. But only when the spectators thought the cast of gloom had faded, Kayla DiCello faced a similar fate. During her vault routine, the 20-year-old ended up injuring her Achilles and soon bowed out of the competition.

Given these back-to-back jolts to the side, Jordan Chiles who has been having a great run at the Trials so far expressed her concerns. As per International Gymnast Media, Chiles mentioned, “I’m definitely praying for them.” With sheer optimism, Chiles even remarked, “They are very talented athletes and I know they’ll come back stronger than ever. We still have to give it our all, and what we’re doing is helping them understand that we’re doing it for them as well.” As a fellow gymnast and friend, the UCLA alumnus showed faith that DiCello and Jones’ will overcome this heart-rending setback.

Jordan Chiles then echoed the sentiment that many have been feeling since Friday. She said, “(Their injuries are) not something you want to start these Olympic trials off with.” But, given this unanticipated dip in the enthusiasm, the 21-year-old apparently made it her agenda to boost everyone’s morale. “I knew I needed to reset and have fun,” remarked Chiles. She also knew that the meet had already taken a stressful detour. Thus, she might as well put some good energy out there. With this objective, Chiles powered her way to the second spot on Day 1 with an impressive total of 56.40.

Not just Chiles, but the two injured gymnasts have also exuded similar positivity regarding their comebacks. Here’s what they said to their fans.

Much like Jordan Chiles, Kayla and Shilese are optimistic about their comeback

Quite unfortunately, Shilese Jones has been gutted by recurrent injuries recently. Pulling out of the Xfinity US Championships 2024, she cited her ‘long-going injury.’ Shedding light on the troubles in her shoulder, she had said, “It still gives me a little bit of hard times…” However, she was positive about pushing through. Similarly, after US Olympic Trials upset, she added an Instagram story, affirming, “I wish I could meet you all today, but my main focus is at the moment is coming back as strong as possible tomorrow…” Nonetheless, as per the latest update, Shilese has officially withdrawn from the Trials.

On the other hand, Kayla also penned a message for her fans. She wrote that it “truly takes a village to get to this point” in one’s career. Following this, she expressed gratitude for the support she received from her fans. Announcing that she has begun her healing journey, she even thanked everyone for their good wishes. Until she finally remarked, “This is not the end of my story.” Reflecting in these words is her unwavering confidence that she will grace the mats soon again.

While we wait for further updates on their injuries, there is a line-up of extremely talented gymnasts vying for glory at the Target Center. Who are you rooting for? Let us know in the comments.