Jade Carey Opens Up About Missing 2026 Worlds Team After Comeback

The Comeback That Almost Got Her There

Jade Carey isn't a name you'd expect to see on a 'non-traveling replacement' list. Seven World medals. An Olympic gold. But after nearly two years away from elite gymnastics following Paris 2024, the 26-year-old found herself just outside the traveling squad for the 2026 World Championships — and she's finally explaining why.

Team USA's main roster for Worlds features a younger core: Charleigh Bullock, Reese Esponda, Claire Pease, and Hezly Rivera. Carey, meanwhile, will be heading to Worlds in a backup role only, available if someone on the main team can't compete.

Rust Doesn't Disappear on Schedule

Carey's return wasn't instant perfection, and she's upfront about that. Skills came back unevenly — some clicked right away, others took longer to rebuild. 'I feel like it came and go in waves, after the World Team Selection Event,' Carey said. 'Sometimes some things came back easy and some things came back not so easy.'

That inconsistency is the real story here. Elite gymnastics doesn't offer a grace period. You're either peaking when selection happens, or you're not — and Carey's peak arrived in pieces rather than all at once.

A Season of Building Blocks

Her 2025 season actually trended upward. She opened at the American Classic in June with a second-place all-around finish, backed that up with another runner-up finish at the U.S. Classic in July, then arrived at U.S. Championships in August in her best form yet — fifth all-around, a vault title, and third on floor.

'I feel like championships went pretty well for me,' Carey said. 'So just building off of that in the gym really helped me continue and push forward.'

Why the Selection Event Changed Everything

Momentum from Championships didn't carry all the way through. At the World Team Selection Event in Crossville, Tennessee — the meet that actually determines the roster — Carey finished seventh, a result that wasn't enough to crack the traveling team in a deep, competitive field.

It's a reminder of how unforgiving the selection process is in U.S. gymnastics. Big names and past Olympic success don't guarantee a spot; it comes down to who performs best on the one day that counts most.

What's Next for Carey

Carey remains attached to the program as a replacement athlete, which keeps her in the mix if injury or illness opens a spot. For a veteran rebuilding from a two-year layoff, that's not nothing — it's a foothold heading into what could be a longer runway back to the top of the sport.