Since 2022, Shilese Jones has earned six World Artistic Gymnastics Championship medals, proving to America the profound significance of her dreams, fueled by personal tragedy. Shilese Jones faced a tough couple of years in 2020 and 2021 on her road to the Tokyo Olympics. First, a terrible car accident left her with a fractured back and foot, requiring four months of recovery. Then, Jones’s Olympic dream was shattered when she finished 10th at the trials, just missing the top nine needed to compete in Tokyo. Then, in December 2021, her father, Sylvester Jones, passed away after battling kidney disease.

He had always been her inspiration, dreaming of seeing her on the Olympic stage. Distraught but determined, Shilese chose to continue with a renewed vision, aiming for the Paris Olympics in 2024, knowing it’s what her father would have wanted. As Shilese Jones comes full circle, heading into another Olympic trial, let’s take a closer look at her life—one she keeps very private—and explore the familial bonds and roots that have shaped her journey.

All about Shilese Jones’ siblings

Shilese Jones is part of a close-knit family that includes three daughters, with herself in the mix with her parents, the late Sylvester Jones and Latrice Bryant. Her siblings, Amari Jones (younger) and Naekayla Davis (older) play integral roles within this tight unit, even though specific details about them remain undisclosed by the star.

However, Jones has openly shared about their family’s strong bond, emphasizing how gymnastics has become a shared passion. When her late father, Sylvester Jones, was fighting his battle with his kidney disease, Jones articulated that unity defines their familial journey, stating, “We’re all pushing together. We’re all in this together.“ As we reflect on these bonds, let us learn more about the Jones family and their roots.

Where did Jones and her siblings grow up?

Shilese Jones and her siblings, Amari Jones and Naekayla Davis, grew up in Auburn, Washington, before their family made a significant move to Columbus, Ohio, in 2014. This relocation was driven by Shilese’s gymnastics aspirations, as she aimed to train with coach Christian Gallardo, who had previously worked with 2012 Olympic all-around champion Gabby Douglas.

Reflecting on this pivotal move, Shilese Jones expressed the weight of the decision, stating, “We’re all from Seattle, Washington, and so I moved over here six years ago to train. I wanted my coach to be Christian Gallardo. I think about that, like daily, like I moved my whole family from state to state.” After her father died in 2022, Jones moved back to Seattle to be closer to her family. She then began training at Ascend Gymnastics, where Sarah Korngold and Brett Wargo now coach her.

Shilese Jones has always been open about how her Olympic dream has been a shared one with her father. She once shared, “Each competition I go to, it’s not just for me, it’s for him as well.“ Now, as she gets one step closer to her Olympic dream by heading to the trials, fans hope her strong roots and her father’s hopes for her will be realized as she continues her journey.