The U.S. Gymnastics Championship ended on Sunday night, and three young Black women notably claimed the first, second and third place spots.
Konnor McClain, Shilese Jones and Jordan Chiles (aged 17, 20, and 21, respectively) claimed the honor, and they were rightfully showered with praise on social media for comprising the championship’s first all-Black winners’ podium.
In a historic first, Black women swept the All-Around podium at the U.S. Gymnastics Championships. 🥇 Konnor McClain, 🥈Shilese Jones,🥉Jordan Chiles. THIS is the legacy of Gabby Douglas, Simone Biles, Dominique Dawes and so many other trailblazers who trained and stood alone. pic.twitter.com/2kAwQP9LoZ
— Cathryn Stout (@DrCathrynStout) August 22, 2022
These THREE young Black women just made HERstory as the first black women to fill the podium last night at the US Gymnastics Championships!! Congratulations Konnor McClain, Shilese Jones, and Jordan Chiles! #EBONY #BlackExcellence pic.twitter.com/CBu2D7jF8J
— EBONY MAGAZINE (@EBONYMag) August 22, 2022
Ladies and gentlemen, you are witnessing history. Never in the history of gymnastics have three black women vied for the top spot at the national championships. This is a show for the ages. Who will be the National Champion: Konnor, Shilese, or Jordan?
— James Jones, Esq (@jamesjonesesq) August 22, 2022
10 years ago, Gabby Douglas made history as the first Black all-around Olympic champion
Last night, Konnor McClain, Shilese Jones and Jordan Chiles made history as the first all Black all-around podium at the U.S. Gymnastics Championships 👏 pic.twitter.com/MeWpBCHqWt
— The GIST USA (@thegistusa) August 23, 2022
There has never been an all black all-around podium at US Gymnastics Championships. pic.twitter.com/faCjNnQdDX
— GymCastic (@GymCastic) August 22, 2022
“I never thought this could happen, ever,” McClain said after she was named the competition’s first-place winner, Team USA reports. “It’s so unreal, and I honestly can’t believe it. I’m still in shock a little right now.”
“My confidence has grown so much just in the last couple months,” she continued. “Just doing routines over and over again and knowing I can do the routines and coming to the competition knowing I can make it too. It’s such a big difference being so confident.”
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According to the NCAA Demographics Database, only about 9% of Division 1 women’s gymnastics athletes self-identify as Black, while 63% identify as white and 23% belong to other racial/ethnic groups.
As a result, three Black women securing the top spots at the U.S. Gymnastics Championship is definitely something to praise, as it fosters positive representation and helps show others that their dreams are attainable.
“It’s pretty cool that kids will look at us, just the way we looked at Simone, and say, ‘Yeah, if she can do this, maybe we can do this too,'” Chiles said ahead of the Tokyo Olympics last summer, according to The New York Times. “Representation matters, you know.”
Konnor McClain, Shilese Jones and Jordan Chiles’s shared accomplishment coincides with Fisk University ushering in the first-ever women’s gymnastics program at a historically Black college or university (HBCU), as Blavity previously reported; the team had their first practice earlier this month.
Shoutout to McClain, Jones and Chiles!
