Second Behind Simone Biles, 18-Year-Old Gymnast’s Paris Olympics Dreams in Danger Post 2024 Xfinity Scratching

The Xfinity Gymnastics Championships has seen some high-profile withdrawals just before the Olympic Trials. The latest addition to this list is 18-year-old Kaliya Lincoln. Just months after her exceptional silver medal performance behind gymnastics superstar Simone Biles at the 2023 U.S. Gymnastics Championships, Lincoln’s Paris Olympics dreams hit a potential roadblock at the final major meet before June’s Trials.

Lincoln’s journey on the mat has been nothing short of remarkable. However, in a surprising turn of events, she has put a sudden pause to her ascending career by withdrawing from the Xfinity U.S. Gymnastics Championships after the first two rotations and petitioning for a Trials spot. This unexpected development raises questions about whether Lincoln, will be in peak form as she vies for one of the coveted spots for Paris.

“Kaliya Lincoln has withdrawn from the second day of #XfinityChamps and has petitioned to compete at Olympic Trials” read the X post by USA Gymnastics. Lincoln’s surprise exit robs her of valuable qualification points and casts a cloud over her Trials readiness just weeks out. The Xfinity meet had been her final chance to boost her national team claims before the Paris 2024 roster is finalized at Trials on June 27-30.

This year Lincoln has competed in the Winter Cup and the Core Hydration Classic. On both occasions she ended up as the silver medalist in the floor exercise. Dubbed Biles’ likely successor after matching the GOAT’s senior career with a senior debut at the 2023 Winter Cup, winning gold on floor, Lincoln has grown as a performer.

She won two gold medals at the Pan American Games in Chile last year. Earlier, she won the silver medal on the floor exercise at the U.S. Classic, tied with Joscelyn Roberson. She then finished second in the U.S. National Gymnastics Championships, with only superstar Simone Biles in front of her, showcasing what she is capable of.

She has achieved this success despite suffering a setback in 2021. A stress fracture in her shin at the end of the year took her out of competition for the start of the 2022. This was followed by a diagnosis of osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) in her knees that would require surgery, effectively ending her season. However, Lincoln came back strong next year with her winning effort at the Winter Cup.

Lincoln started her journey at the age of five after being inspired by watching US Gymnastics icon Gabby Douglas on live TV. Her journey with Douglas started on the TV program “Undercover Boss: Celebrity Edition.” In disguise, the veteran gymnast helped three young athletes seeking to reach her success, including Lincoln. Douglas then coached Lincoln and the two have been friends ever since.

The Xfinity Championships also saw Shilese Jones withdrawing citing a flared up shoulder injury. Interestingly, Douglas also withdrew from the meet at the very start, citing an ankle injury, which ended her Paris dreams.

Lincoln may also be forced to watch from home after her untimely Xfinity withdrawal. USA Gymnastics stayed tight-lipped on the specifics behind her withdrawal, offering no update on potential injuries or other issues. Still, there is a new journey awaiting Lincoln this fall.

Kaliya Lincoln to join LSU Tigers in the fall

While she has withdrawn from the Xfinity Championships and petitioning for the Trials, her future is secure. Lincoln will begin the next phase of her career as an LSU Tiger later this year. She committed to the school following her official visit last fall. On November 8, 2023, she signed her National Letter of Intent to confirm her status as a Tiger.

Speaking about her decision she said, “As soon as I was able to talk with the coaches, they were super nice and really supportive with all my goals, so as soon as I went on campus and got to meet all the girls and see the environment and campus I knew that was the place I wanted to be.”

She will aim to bring success for her team, but for now Paris will be in focus. Given her impressive recent run, Lincoln’s withdrawal might be signaling not a retreat but a strategic pivot as she aims for Olympic glory.

UPDATE-

Shortly after the Xfinity gymnastics competition concluded on June 2, Sunday evening, USA Gymnastics announced that they approved Kaliya Lincoln’s petition to take part in the upcoming U.S. Olympic trials scheduled for later this month. 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.