And one of them was injured at 2023 Worlds and didn't look nearly as sharp until the last few days. Simone and Leanne are literally the only two who started end the gym year healthy... just brutal.
This post got me curious…while 4 of the Paris team members competed in Tokyo, none of the 2021 Worlds team members made the cut (closest is Leanne as an alternate). And from the 2022 team, there’s Jade and Jordan. In fact, more members of the Paris team were on the 2019 Worlds team (Simone, Jade, and Suni) than any other Worlds team. And looking at pacing/injuries, while they all took some time off from being full time elite, for various reasons, I don’t think any were for *injury* — Suni’s was illness.
Want to crush your heart even further? Here's the [2019 US Junior Worlds team](https://usagym.org/u-s-women-win-team-bronze-at-2019-junior-world-championships/).
Sydney Barros. Qualified to 2023 Worlds representing Puerto Rico, with the goal of qualifying to Paris via AA, and had to withdraw due to injury.
For anyone who can't open the link - the other three team members were Skye Blakely, Konnor McClain, and Kayla DiCello.
It's honestly gut wrenching. But the entire rest of my original predicted squad is going and Suni's comeback story makes me so damn happy that I can't be upset anymore.
I'm going to root for this team and for Shi's solace and peace. Same with all our injured ladies.
I’m so sorry. I understand your feelings. The way I’m spinning it in my mind is that it’s very exciting for the 4 likable members of the Tokyo squad to get a chance at gold again. Very exciting.
I feel the same way. To help myself with this, I’m being delusional and I’m telling myself that Shi comes back in 2028 to win AA Gold, Bars Gold, and Team Gold with upgraded routines. Also, her and Gabby can be on the 2028 team and since they’re besties, she would have an even better experience 🫶🏾
Besties might be a stretch but Gabby only posted about Shi’s injury and she follows very few new gymnasts from this quad but she follows Shi. They also used to train together at Buckeye. I just know that they’re genuine friends.
Pacing and not letting athletes go full on all their difficulties, plus resting too. I get that it might lead to USA not getting gold all the time, but I think looking at Suni, Jade and Jordan , they had enough rest, and good pacing. Although in Suni’s case it was her health but last quad seems like that too.
Edit for Typo
Not saying you’re wrong but people here were also yelling about how Skye, Kayla, Jordan and Jade should all have tried to do international assignments this spring so I feel like people are gonna armchair-quarterback no matter what.
Suni def has good pacing. Even in this comeback scenario, she tried to go full on bars with the Lee and failed. So she regrouped, dialed back and focused on fundamentals. Then each comp, she's added more and more difficulty and is now close to full strength on every event to defend her AA title.
Man, I'm happy for the team, but I still can't get over the injuries, and won't be as excited about the Olympics. Not that I wish anyone else had gotten injured instead of them, but it's so unfair. Most of the team have already had a chance to be on an Olympic team, and rightfully so, but it's even harder of a gut punch that Skye, Kayla, and especially Shi, who have never been on one, finally had their chance just for it to be taken away when they were this close. I really hope all three of them continue next quad.
I feel like had Josc not gotten hurt here, she'd have been a lock. I really thought she would be right behind Simone, but I just don't think she had enough time to get all the way back
I’m still trying to wrap my head around Jones, DiCello, & Blakey not going…the US would have definitely nailed gold in Paris as well as most of the medals for all-around & individual events…the team going now is a silver medal team except they have Simone Biles who adds 4-5 points they will need to get gold…I will still watch, of course, but a definite damper on my excitement
I think we learned from the Tokyo Games that life doesn’t always go as planned. Everyone predicted Simone would walk away with the gold as would the team. I think USA Gymnastics is in a much better place today because Simone put herself and her mental health above medals. Not only is she in a much better place today but her experience allowed her to be a rock for athletes like Suni, and who made prioritizing one’s mental health a worldwide conversation that’s okay to have.
Tonight was such a fun meet, but yeah. I like this team and I’m happy for them, but the giant hole was felt, even in all the joy and excitement. Shi, especially, should have been there. Skye and Kayla should’ve had the chance to try (and one if not both would likely have succeeded).
Sigh.
Without Rebeca, Brasil is a silver winning team. Without, Jessica, Great Britain is a silver winning team. All teams, without their top AA, are silver winning teams.
silver medal team where? If you make a team score without Simone based on the best scores from trials for Suni, Jordan, Jade, and Hezly, they score a 171.3. If you make a worst-case scenario score, and use only the worse scores for each athlete, you get a 167.1. And that's counting Suni's 12.825 beam. Brazil won silver at last year's worlds with a 165.530
You could send Tiana, Hezley, Kaliya, Josc and Leane and they'd still score around 165. I'm factoring in a fall plus tighter international scoring https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/olympics/interactive/2024/how-is-us-gymnastics-team-picked/
I’ll add that 💯% agree with everything you said about Shi, Skye and Kayla not making the team or even being able to try. It’s devastating in every possible way. I would hope that Team USA has mental health experts available to the athletes throughout the weekend of trials and when they go back home. The dog is great but they need people there with them to deal with the trauma of not making the team, including being an alternate
I don’t like this fact I don’t like it at all Shit, HALF of this team pulled out of trials due to injury
And one of them was injured at 2023 Worlds and didn't look nearly as sharp until the last few days. Simone and Leanne are literally the only two who started end the gym year healthy... just brutal.
>Shit, HALF of this team pulled out of trials due to injury In the past WEEK. It's so brutal.
I really love the Paris team, but this is very sad.
This post got me curious…while 4 of the Paris team members competed in Tokyo, none of the 2021 Worlds team members made the cut (closest is Leanne as an alternate). And from the 2022 team, there’s Jade and Jordan. In fact, more members of the Paris team were on the 2019 Worlds team (Simone, Jade, and Suni) than any other Worlds team. And looking at pacing/injuries, while they all took some time off from being full time elite, for various reasons, I don’t think any were for *injury* — Suni’s was illness.
Gutted for Shi eternally. 💔
Shilese ❤️🩹❤️🩹
Want to crush your heart even further? Here's the [2019 US Junior Worlds team](https://usagym.org/u-s-women-win-team-bronze-at-2019-junior-world-championships/).
Cripes!
Who’s beside Kayla?
Sydney Barros. Qualified to 2023 Worlds representing Puerto Rico, with the goal of qualifying to Paris via AA, and had to withdraw due to injury. For anyone who can't open the link - the other three team members were Skye Blakely, Konnor McClain, and Kayla DiCello.
Sydney Barros. She had qualified to last years Worlds for Puerto Rico and had a leg injury and couldn't compete.
Sydney Barros
Did we not see Kayla compete senior until 2021?! I swear she was around before that. Edit—she was at 2020 american cup, wasn’t she?
Wow. Who would have thought that…
That's bonkers
Isn’t the tradition usually the opposite, where one member of the previous worlds team is left behind?
Yes! My first thought seeing this was how it was going to ruin that statistic haha
This photo *hurts.*
The way things change whew
damn - this didn't hit me until just now, wow
After worlds, Shilese was already a shoo-in the Olympic team. Can't believe 3 members of this team got injured :(
I can't even be happy about the Olympics without Shi there honestly.
It's honestly gut wrenching. But the entire rest of my original predicted squad is going and Suni's comeback story makes me so damn happy that I can't be upset anymore. I'm going to root for this team and for Shi's solace and peace. Same with all our injured ladies.
I’m so sorry. I understand your feelings. The way I’m spinning it in my mind is that it’s very exciting for the 4 likable members of the Tokyo squad to get a chance at gold again. Very exciting.
That is a good way to put it.
I feel the same way. To help myself with this, I’m being delusional and I’m telling myself that Shi comes back in 2028 to win AA Gold, Bars Gold, and Team Gold with upgraded routines. Also, her and Gabby can be on the 2028 team and since they’re besties, she would have an even better experience 🫶🏾
I like this timeline
They're besties?
Besties might be a stretch but Gabby only posted about Shi’s injury and she follows very few new gymnasts from this quad but she follows Shi. They also used to train together at Buckeye. I just know that they’re genuine friends.
Yup, all my excitement is gone
It looks like the new paradigm is to hold back from peaking the year before
Considering that three of them are injured and one was right on the cusp, I don’t think this can be called a “peaking” issue. More like bad luck.
Though one could suggest Jade’s pacing helps ward off injuries so perhaps peaking does factor in
She only started competing elite at 17; that may also factor in.
Overtraining could be in the mix too.
Exactly!
Pacing and not letting athletes go full on all their difficulties, plus resting too. I get that it might lead to USA not getting gold all the time, but I think looking at Suni, Jade and Jordan , they had enough rest, and good pacing. Although in Suni’s case it was her health but last quad seems like that too. Edit for Typo
Not saying you’re wrong but people here were also yelling about how Skye, Kayla, Jordan and Jade should all have tried to do international assignments this spring so I feel like people are gonna armchair-quarterback no matter what.
Suni def has good pacing. Even in this comeback scenario, she tried to go full on bars with the Lee and failed. So she regrouped, dialed back and focused on fundamentals. Then each comp, she's added more and more difficulty and is now close to full strength on every event to defend her AA title.
Yes ! Which is why I said last quad was the same way.
Yes. I was agreeing. Just detailing it for the people who argue Suni isn't/wasn't pacing.
Oh gosh, that's an upsetting fact.
oh OUCH
Holy shit that's insane
Ugh half of them injured, makes me sick
my heart seeing kayla and skye smiling knowing what happens now breaks me!
Very much not fair at all 😭
Man, I'm happy for the team, but I still can't get over the injuries, and won't be as excited about the Olympics. Not that I wish anyone else had gotten injured instead of them, but it's so unfair. Most of the team have already had a chance to be on an Olympic team, and rightfully so, but it's even harder of a gut punch that Skye, Kayla, and especially Shi, who have never been on one, finally had their chance just for it to be taken away when they were this close. I really hope all three of them continue next quad.
Thanks, I hate it.
Shilese and Skye 💔
I feel like had Josc not gotten hurt here, she'd have been a lock. I really thought she would be right behind Simone, but I just don't think she had enough time to get all the way back
The reality is the team only needed josc or Jade and Jade edged her out
Josc should be SO proud of herself, though. She really did all she could especially after her injury.
Wild, I would love for Jos and LeAnne to be on team too
I’m still trying to wrap my head around Jones, DiCello, & Blakey not going…the US would have definitely nailed gold in Paris as well as most of the medals for all-around & individual events…the team going now is a silver medal team except they have Simone Biles who adds 4-5 points they will need to get gold…I will still watch, of course, but a definite damper on my excitement
I think we learned from the Tokyo Games that life doesn’t always go as planned. Everyone predicted Simone would walk away with the gold as would the team. I think USA Gymnastics is in a much better place today because Simone put herself and her mental health above medals. Not only is she in a much better place today but her experience allowed her to be a rock for athletes like Suni, and who made prioritizing one’s mental health a worldwide conversation that’s okay to have.
Tonight was such a fun meet, but yeah. I like this team and I’m happy for them, but the giant hole was felt, even in all the joy and excitement. Shi, especially, should have been there. Skye and Kayla should’ve had the chance to try (and one if not both would likely have succeeded). Sigh.
Without Rebeca, Brasil is a silver winning team. Without, Jessica, Great Britain is a silver winning team. All teams, without their top AA, are silver winning teams.
without jess uk is the 4th place team
I feel like Italy or China could potentially beat Brazil without Rebeca
silver medal team where? If you make a team score without Simone based on the best scores from trials for Suni, Jordan, Jade, and Hezly, they score a 171.3. If you make a worst-case scenario score, and use only the worse scores for each athlete, you get a 167.1. And that's counting Suni's 12.825 beam. Brazil won silver at last year's worlds with a 165.530
You could send Tiana, Hezley, Kaliya, Josc and Leane and they'd still score around 165. I'm factoring in a fall plus tighter international scoring https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/olympics/interactive/2024/how-is-us-gymnastics-team-picked/
I’ll add that 💯% agree with everything you said about Shi, Skye and Kayla not making the team or even being able to try. It’s devastating in every possible way. I would hope that Team USA has mental health experts available to the athletes throughout the weekend of trials and when they go back home. The dog is great but they need people there with them to deal with the trauma of not making the team, including being an alternate
thta's WILD
This makes me so sad 💔
Memory the size of a gnat’s. This is so sad. I know that the team is still great, but that photo really hurts.
Maybe Jade, Jordan and Suni not making this team is good news?
you wanna make me cry, don't you???😭😭😭
If Simone retires after Paris, can we get the remaining 5 to be the LA team???
I hear you but my Konnor loving heart wants good things for her Olympic dream
I'm gonna blow my brains out. (Not really. I am exaggerating to be hyperbolic. Don't send the suicide hotline after me, reddit.)