Jordan Chiles is an American artistic gymnast and two-time Olympian who won team gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics and team silver at the 2020 Tokyo Games. She currently competes for the UCLA Bruins gymnastics while continuing her elite career. Born April 15, 2001, Chiles has become one of the most recognizable faces in gymnastics, known for her powerful routines and infectious personality.
Jordan Chiles has transformed from a gymnast who nearly quit the sport to one of America’s most decorated athletes. Her journey includes Olympic medals, NCAA championships, and a bronze medal controversy that captured worldwide attention in 2024.
Who Is Jordan Chiles?
Jordan Lucella Elizabeth Chiles entered the world on April 15, 2001, in Tualatin, Oregon. Her parents, Timothy and Gina Chiles, named her after basketball legend Michael Jordan, hoping she would achieve greatness in athletics. That prediction proved accurate.
Chiles grew up in Vancouver, Washington, as the youngest of five children. Her boundless energy led her parents to enroll her in gymnastics at age six. What started as an outlet for a hyperactive child became an Olympic career.
She became an elite gymnast by age 11, the only one in Washington state at the time. Her early promise was clear to everyone who watched her compete.
The 2019 Career Turning Point
By 2018, Chile stood at a crossroads. She placed 11th at the National Championships and wasn’t selected for the senior national team. The rejection hurt deeply.
Her longtime coach, Dimitri Taskov, delivered difficult news. He felt he couldn’t take her any further in the sport. Chiles considered quitting elite gymnastics entirely.
Then Simone Biles intervened. The Olympic champion invited Chiles to train at World Champions Center in Spring, Texas. Chiles accepted the offer in June 2019, leaving everything familiar behind in Washington.
The move changed her life. Under coaches Cecile and Laurent Landi, Chiles found a training environment that valued joy alongside discipline. She trained alongside Biles, learning what it meant to compete with confidence rather than fear.
Tokyo 2020 Olympics: Stepping Up When It Mattered
Chiles entered 2021 as a transformed athlete. She won the Winter Cup all-around title, becoming the first woman to claim that championship. She hit 24 consecutive routines leading up to the Olympic Trials, not falling once.
At the U.S. Olympic Trials, Chiles finished third in the all-around behind Biles and Sunisa Lee. She earned her spot on Team USA alongside Grace McCallum.
The Tokyo team final tested Chiles in ways she never anticipated. Originally scheduled to compete only on vault and floor exercise, everything changed after the first rotation. Biles withdrew from the competition due to mental health concerns.
Chiles stepped onto the uneven bars and balance beam without warming up on either event. She hit both routines under immense pressure. Team USA won the silver medal, finishing behind the Russian Olympic Committee.
The experience proved Chiles belonged on the world’s biggest stage. She returned home with an Olympic medal and newfound confidence.
UCLA Gymnastics Career
Chiles joined the UCLA Bruins gymnastics team in December 2021 after signing her National Letter of Intent years earlier. She made her NCAA debut on January 17, 2022, against Iowa and Minnesota.
On February 4, 2022, Chiles earned her first collegiate perfect 10 on floor exercise in a meet against Utah. She won the all-around with a score of 39.700 and was named Pac-12 freshman of the week.
Her 2023 season brought national recognition. Chiles won NCAA titles on uneven bars and floor exercise. She earned the WCGA West Region Gymnast of the Year award and was named College Gym News Sportswoman of the Year.
Chiles took a break from UCLA during the 2024 season to train for the Paris Olympics. She returned for the 2025 season, winning her second NCAA uneven bars title. She has scored 11 career perfect 10s—six on floor exercise and five on uneven bars.
She is one of only four female gymnasts to win NCAA, World, and Olympic championship titles. The others are Kyla Ross, Madison Kocian, and Sunisa Lee.
Paris 2024 Olympics: Triumph and Controversy
Chiles entered the 2024 Olympic Trials as a medal contender. She finished third in the all-around and was selected to represent the United States alongside Biles, Jade Carey, Sunisa Lee, and Hezly Rivera.
Team USA dominated the team final on July 30, 2024. Chiles competed on all four events, helping secure the gold medal. It was redemption for the team that had won silver in Tokyo.
On August 5, 2024, Chiles competed in the floor exercise final. She initially received a score of 13.666, placing her in fifth position. Her coach, Cecile Landi, submitted an inquiry, arguing that judges had undervalued the difficulty of her routine.
The judges reviewed the inquiry and added 0.1 to Chiles’ score, moving it to 13.766. The adjustment pushed Chiles from fifth to third place, ahead of Romania’s Ana Barbosu and Sabrina Maneca-Voinea.
The podium ceremony became a historic moment. Chiles stood alongside Biles and Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade, marking the first time three Black women shared an Olympic gymnastics podium. Biles and Chiles bowed to Andrade in a gesture of respect that went viral.
Days later, the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled that Landi’s inquiry had been submitted four seconds after the one-minute deadline. CAS voided the inquiry and recommended reinstating the original scores.
The International Olympic Committee followed the ruling. On August 11, 2024, the IOC announced it would reallocate the bronze medal to Barbosu. Chiles was asked to return her medal.
USA Gymnastics submitted video evidence showing the inquiry was filed 47 seconds after the score was posted, within the allowed timeframe. CAS declined to reconsider, stating its rules don’t allow reconsidering decisions even with new evidence.
In September 2024, Chiles and her legal team filed an appeal with the Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland. The appeal argues that CAS violated her right to be heard by refusing to consider video evidence. It also alleges a conflict of interest regarding the CAS panel president, who had previously provided legal counsel to Romania.
The appeal remains ongoing. Chiles has said she focuses on what she can control while her legal team continues fighting for justice.
World Championships Success
Chiles competed at her first World Championships in 2022. She won gold in the team competition and captured individual silver medals on both vault and floor exercise.
The 2022 Worlds marked the first time Chiles had competed at a world championships despite being on the national team since 2013. Her three medals proved she belonged among the world’s best gymnasts.
At the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile, Chile added to its medal collection. She won team gold, vault silver, and all-around bronze.
2025: New Chapters
Chiles was named one of TIME Magazine’s Women of the Year for 2025. The recognition honored her strength and perseverance through the medal controversy.
She appeared on the 2025 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue as one of four cover models alongside Lauren Chan, Salma Hayek, and fellow gymnast Livvy Dunne.
In March 2025, Chiles published her memoir “I’m That Girl: Living the Power of My Dreams” through Harper Influence. Simone Biles wrote the foreword. The book details the medal controversy, her struggles with eating issues, and the racism she experienced throughout her career.
Chiles joined the cast of Dancing with the Stars Season 34 in September 2025, partnering with professional dancer Ezra Sosa. She became the third active NCAA athlete to compete on the show after Arike Ogunbowale and Suni Lee.
Balancing Dancing with the Stars rehearsals with UCLA gymnastics preseason training demonstrated Chiles’ commitment to excellence. The show films in Los Angeles, allowing her to maintain both responsibilities.
Training Philosophy and Style
Chiles brings artistry to gymnastics in a way few athletes do. While competitors catch their breath between tumbling passes, Chiles performs choreography with the same intensity as her acrobatics.
Her floor routines feature music by Beyoncé, whose song “I’m That Girl” inspired both her memoir title and her approach to competition. Chiles views herself as an entertainer, not just an athlete.
The mantra “It’s not the diamonds, it’s not the pearls, I’m that girl” from Beyoncé’s discography became Chiles’ rallying cry. Her Team USA leotard at Paris featured nearly 1,000 pearls and 3,500 crystals.
Personal Life and Advocacy
Chiles speaks openly about mental health challenges. After the bronze medal was taken away, she revealed struggling to get out of bed for six months. She prioritized mental health treatment and returned stronger.
Her mother, Gina Chiles, served time in federal prison for embezzlement following the Tokyo Olympics. Chiles has spoken about how difficult that period was for her family.
In 2023, both her aunt and grandfather passed away. Chiles shared that her grandfather wouldn’t want her to quit, which motivated her to continue competing.
Chiles is an advocate for body positivity in gymnastics. She has challenged critics who questioned her muscular physique, asking how they expected her to throw her body weight around without muscles.
She loves shopping and describes herself as a sneakerhead. Her favorite musicians include Normani, Chloe Bailey, HER, Kelani, Megan Thee Stallion, and Beyoncé.
Career Achievements
Olympic Medals:
- 2024 Paris: Team gold, floor exercise bronze (disputed)
- 2020 Tokyo: Team silver
World Championships:
- 2022: Team gold, vault silver, floor exercise silver
NCAA Championships:
- 2025: Uneven bars champion
- 2023: Uneven bars champion, floor exercise champion
- 2025: Big Ten floor exercise co-champion
- 16 All-American honors (fourth-most in UCLA history)
National Team:
- USA Gymnastics all-time leader with 11 U.S. National Team appearances
- Member since 2013
What Makes Jordan Chiles Different
Chiles represents a new generation of gymnasts who refuse to choose between excellence and joy. She proves athletes can be serious competitors while expressing their authentic personalities.
Her friendship with Simone Biles shows what elite athletics looks like when built on genuine support rather than rivalry. The two have trained together since 2019, pushing each other to greater heights.
Chiles didn’t follow the typical path to Olympic glory. She nearly quit gymnastics at 17. She moved across the country to train with someone else’s coach. She rebuilt her confidence from scratch.
That unconventional journey makes her story resonate with people who’ve faced setbacks. Chiles shows that detours don’t derail dreams if you keep moving forward.
Looking Ahead
Chiles continues competing for UCLA while keeping her elite career alive. She hasn’t ruled out competing at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, which would be on home soil.
Her legal team continues fighting for her bronze medal to be reinstated. Regardless of the outcome, Chiles has made clear she won’t let the controversy define her career.
The gymnast who once felt like a nobody now inspires the next generation of athletes. She tells young gymnasts they can achieve their dreams while staying true to themselves.
FAQs
How old is Jordan Chiles?
Jordan Chiles was born on April 15, 2001, making her 24 years old. She competed at her first Olympics at age 20 and her second at age 23.
Where does Jordan Chiles train?
Chiles trained at World Champions Center in Spring, Texas, under coaches Cecile and Laurent Landi from 2019 to 2024. She currently competes for the UCLA Bruins gymnastics and trains in Los Angeles during the collegiate season.
What happened to Jordan Chiles’ bronze medal?
Chiles won bronze in floor exercise at the 2024 Paris Olympics after her coach’s scoring inquiry. The Court of Arbitration for Sport later ruled the inquiry was four seconds late and took away the medal. Chiles is appealing the decision to Switzerland’s Federal Supreme Court.
Is Jordan Chiles related to Simone Biles?
No, Jordan Chiles and Simone Biles are not related. They are training partners and close friends who have competed together since 2019. Biles wrote the foreword for Chiles’ memoir.
What is Jordan Chiles known for?
Jordan Chiles is known for her powerful gymnastics, entertaining floor routines, and being part of the first all-Black Olympic gymnastics podium. She’s recognized for her artistry, resilience, and advocacy for mental health and body positivity in sports.
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