Jordan Chiles introduced herself at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Competing alongside her teammate Simone Biles, the dynamic duo have been making history for years, including at the 2024 Paris Olympics. The besties returned to the competition with their own goals. And after Team USA walked away with the gold medal, Simone and Jordan scored their own individual medals. However, Jordan ended up losing her bronze medal following the 2024 games.
Learn more about the talented gymnast, below.
Jordan Chiles Is an American Gymnast
Born Jordan Lucella Elizabeth Chiles in Tualatin, Oregon, Jordan grew up in the Pacific Northwest. She lists Vancouver, Washington as her home, but lived in Spring, Texas, to train at the World Champions Centre Gym with coaches Coaches Laurent and Cecile Landi — the same coaching staff that works with Simone Biles. “My parents could not keep me from cartwheeling down the aisle of any open space or walking on my hands instead of my feet,” Jordan says on her official USA Gymnastics profile. “People kept asking if I was in gymnastics. I had a lot of energy! So they put me in the gym.”
She Is Named After Michael Jordan
Jordan seemed destined to defy the laws of gravity from birth because her mother named her after an athlete who seemed to fly whenever he stepped on the basketball court: Michael Jordan. Jordan – the gymnast – told KOIN 6 in 2018 that her name comes from “His Airness.” “She is literally in love with sports,” Chiles told the news station. Jordan also said she began her sports career on the softball field but found love for gymnastics early on. “It’s fun to like be in the air like if you think about it, it’s like ‘woah, you’re really high off the ground, and you still land on your feet,’” she said.
Jordan Almost Quit Gymnastics
“I didn’t think the sport wanted me anymore,” Jordan told The New York Times. “So I went in the opposite direction.”
In 2017, in her second senior competition, Jordan won the silver in the all-around at the national championships. But, she didn’t make the U.S. team that competed at the world championships in Montreal. Jordan left her coach because she thought their methods were overbearing. After years of a strict diet – sometimes, she would only consume soup – she lived like a normal person: she ate candy, drank Starbucks, had sleepovers with friends, and socialized without worrying about the impact on her performance. At the 2018 nationals, she finished 11th in the all-around and figured her time was done.
“I guess this sport is coming to an end for me because things just aren’t working out for me at all whatsoever,” Chiles told the NYT. “I just wanted to finish high school and go off to college. But then I had a talk with Simone.”
Simone Helped Jordan in Her Career
After Jordan’s setbacks in 2018, Simone suggested Jordan train with the Landis. Though they were tough and meticulous, the coaches were adamant that gymnasts lead balanced and healthy social lives (to help deal with the pressure of the sport.) After Jordan finished high school – she went to prom in a red sequined mermaid dress – she moved to Texas.
“I discovered that gymnastics doesn’t always have to be about strictness and being so hard on yourself and having so much doubt,” she said. “I actually realized this when I saw Simone compete. She looks like she’s having fun out there, laughing and giggling, and doesn’t look stressed or tired. I was like, ‘You know, I’m going to try that one of these days and see how it turns out.’”
Jordan Lost Her Olympic Bronze Medal
At the 2024 Paris Olympics, Jordan initially placed fifth behind Romanian gymnast Ana Bărbosu. However, after Coach Cecile Landi, submitted an inquiry about the judges’ difficulty score, they updated the scores. This effectively awarded Jordan with third place and Ana fifth place. Ana was seen walking away visibly upset, and Jordan accepted the medal at the podium ceremony. Days later, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled that Jordan’s coach submitted the inquiry four seconds past the one-minute time frame. Although Team USA fought the ruling by submitting video evidence to prove them wrong, the CAS insisted that Ana would instead be the new bronze medalist, stripping Jordan from the reward.
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