“I’m shifting focus to the future and my next chapter ahead – which is why I’m excited to announce you will see me on the road to LA 2028.” Strong words from someone who missed the opportunity to truly showcase her abilities at last year’s U.S. Olympic gymnastics trials — and hasn’t stepped back onto a competitive mat since. But at 23, she’s far from giving up on a comeback. Her journey took a major hit when she tore her ACL and meniscus in her left knee during warm-ups on vault on the opening night of the trials. Add to that a shoulder injury, a torn labrum, and more setbacks along the way — yet her name is still one you won’t want to overlook.

On April 3, Shilese Jones revealed on Instagram that she had undergone a second surgery for the same injury that kept her out of the Paris Games. In what appeared to be a post-surgery snapshot straight from the hospital — flashing a bright smile, giving a thumbs-up from her bed, and dressed in a greenish-yellow hospital gown — she captioned it, “2nd times the charm ” She also wrote, “Every scar is a testament to my resellience, a reminder of what I’ve overcome.” By June, Jones was back in the gymnastics scene, attending the U.S. Classic & Hopes Championships as a coach, though she skipped the Xfinity Gymnastics Championships this month. Currently, she’s training at her home base, Ascend Gymnastics in Washington, and her latest social media update has fans buzzing with excitement.

On August 12, Shilese Jones dropped an Instagram clip with the caption, “Day 2 beam… goal accomplished🫶🏽 First time aerial layout, Arabian🥹.” In the video, she nails the Arabian on the balance beam, landing the twists perfectly while her coach, Sarah Korngold, watches on. The moment had gymnastics fans feeling all the emotions. One fan summed it up perfectly in the comments: “can we say “perseverance? never quit? muscle memory? achieving goals? slow and steady wins the race?” wow shi!!!! 🙌🏼‼️” Honestly, couldn’t be more spot-on for Jones.

Last year, Shilese’s setbacks went beyond the U.S. Olympic trials — she also had to pull out of the Xfinity Gymnastics Championships because of a shoulder injury. Still, she never lost hope. This year, she’s missed every major event so far, but she’s been making occasional appearances in the gym. Just about a week ago, she posted on her Instagram story showing off a crisp aerial cartwheel — legs straddled, core solid, torso perfectly upright. And now, she’s unveiled her Arabian on the balance beam. Fan bonanza? That’s up to you. Either way, supporters have been all in on Queen Shi’s return, with some very familiar names joining the celebration.

The gymnastics world was waiting for this

“You’re incredible 😍 so proud!!❤️,”  wrote Trinity Thomas in the comments. The 24-year-old knows the grind all too well — last year, she couldn’t leave her mark at the Xfinity Gymnastics Championships, pulling out before the competition even began. Earlier, she’d also withdrawn from the Pacific Rim Championships to protect her health, and in the end, the Olympic trials slipped out of reach.

Skye Blakely was right there too, cheering on her national teammate with a simple but fired-up, “yea shi!!🤩.” The Florida Gators gymnast has her own comeback story. After being sidelined with an injury from last year’s trials, she’s back and looking fierce, even snagging a stellar result at the 2025 Xfinity Gymnastics Championships. If all goes well, we could soon see her and Shilese go head-to-head on the mat.

And it’s not just fellow athletes showing love. Fans are flooding the comments — one said, “Well that looked easy 👏👏👏👏,” while another simply declared,  “Rooting for you!”  Shilese Jones is pushing forward, chasing the promise she once made to her late father. The question is, will you be in her corner when she makes that dream a reality?

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