Shilese “Shi” Jones was born to her parents, Sylvester Jones and Latrice Bryant, on July 26, 2002.
Shi had a very close bond with her father, Sylvester, who did everything possible to help his daughter achieve her dream.
Unfortunately, her father took his last breath in 2021 after years of battle with a disease.
Moreover, her mother has been a pivotal character in Shilese’s life, who did her part in shaping her daughter’s career.
Shilese Jones is an American artistic gymnast who has represented the U.S. national team at several events.
The Seattle native started her gymnastics career after qualifying to the junior elite in 2014. Later, she competed at the U.S. Classic before becoming a senior in 2018.
After finishing fifth at the National Championships, she was named to the team to compete at the 2018 Pan American Championships, where they won gold.
Similarly, Shilese was a member of the women’s gymnastics team that won two silvers (All-Around and Uneven Bars) in the 2022 World Championships.
Moreover, her team has also won gold in the 2022 Liverpool and 2023 Antwerp World Championships.
Shilese Jones Parents: Sylvester Jones And Latrice Bryant
Born into the loving and supportive family of Sylvester Jones Jr. and Latrice Bryant, Shilese was always encouraged to aim for the stars.
Her late father, Sylvester, was into making films and owned a video production company, KB Films.
Unfortunately, the professional gymnast lost her father to kidney disease in December 2021. Sylvester was battling with tremendous health problems for a long time, having undergone kidney and pancreas transplants.
Following the demise of her father, Shilese penned a heartfelt post on Instagram, transcribing her father’s role in her life and how she would continuously make him proud.
Shilese also started a GoFundMe page asking people to contribute to aid with all funeral expenses along with traveling expenses, as Sylvester wished to be put to rest in Seattle amongst all of their family.
Similarly, her mother, Latrice Bryant, did everything she could to facilitate her gymnast daughter.
She would go with Shilese to her training and find time to workout together. Moreover, Bryant instilled the “work hard to play harder” attitude in her daughter.
However, not much is known about the gymnast’s mother as she remains out of the public limelight.
Simone Biles And Shilese Jones Unexpected Alliance
Simone Biles, a true champion, returned to the gymnastics world in Antwerp with an extraordinary presence.
Just 48 hours after their triumphant performance, Biles and Shilese Jones surprised everyone with an impromptu alliance.
These two legendary competitors, often rivals for the top spot, stood side by side, displaying their spirit of unity.
Leanne Wong, a team member, shared a beautiful Instagram story capturing the moment.
The image featured five American gymnasts: Skye Blakey, Joscelyn Roberson, Leanne Wong, Kayla DiCello, Biles, and Jones, posing gracefully in front of Antwerp’s stunning “Brabo Fountain.”
Wong captioned the image, saying, “Antwerp. A little sightseeing for the Women’s Team after an incredible night of Qualification competition!”
This heartwarming camaraderie unfolded shortly after the team’s outstanding performance on Day 1.
Moreover, the U.S. Women’s Gymnast team bagged the gold at the 2023 World Championship.
