Late Father’s Words Stopped USA’s Paris Olympics Hope, Shilese Jones From Quitting Gymnastics: “It’s Not Over”

Shilese Jones is a name well-known on the gymnastics mat. After all, she has even kept the formidable Simone Biles on her toes throughout the gymnastics season in 2023. However, behind the shining glory of multiple World Championship medals lies a past marred by heartbreak. In 2020, before the Tokyo Olympics trials, Jones was in a car accident that resulted in a foot fracture. Despite the injury, she gave it her all in the trials, finishing 10th overall and narrowly missing the Olympics by just one place. To top it all, a few months later, in December 2021, Shilese Jones’s father, Sylvester Jones, passed away due to a persistent battle with kidney disease.

It was his cherished dream to see his little girl on the Olympic stage one day. Now, as the Paris 2024 Olympics approach, Shilese Jones has opened up about how her father’s words ignited hope within her, urging her not to quit despite the tumultuous challenges she faced.

Shilese Jones shares how her late dad reignited her Olympic dream

In an interview with TODAY on YouTube titled “Meet the athletes to watch for at the Paris 2024 Olympics,” athletes from various disciplines received their well-deserved spotlight. In gymnastics, the focus was on Suni Lee and Shilese Jones as they gear up for the Paris 2024 Olympics. Opening up about how it was her father’s motivation that fueled her Paris Olympic dream after she missed out on Tokyo, Shi Jones shared, “I thought it was over for me pretty much, but, hearing from my peers and my dad, he was like, “It’s not over. You know you have a lot more to prove.”

After her father’s passing, Jones expressed her determination in 2024, stating, “I’m going to do this, not just for myself, but do it for him.” This message from Shilese Jones comes after an incredible 2023 and after boldly laying out her goals for 2024.

Her iconic 2023 and aspirations for 2024

In 2023, Shilese Jones made waves on the national and international stages. At the 2023 Xfinity U.S. Gymnastics Championships in San Jose, California, she made it to the podium, clinching silver behind Simone Biles in the women’s all-around. She continued her talent showcase at the 2023 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships, where she secured a gold medal with Team USA in the team finals.

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In the all-round finals and the uneven bars finals, she clinched bronze medals. Sharing her goals for 2024, Shilese Jones said in the interview,

“Anything it takes from here to 2024, I’m in for it. I’ve had my dad pass away in the last few years, and I just feel like this is a big stepping stone for me.” As the Paris 2024 Olympics draw near, fans eagerly anticipate Shilese Jones’s redemption, hoping she fulfills both her father’s and her Olympic dream.

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