Jordan Chiles: A Legacy of Excellence at UCLA and Beyond

Jordan Chiles is a prominent American artistic gymnast whose journey has been marked by resilience, triumph, and a commitment to both her sport and her community. From her early beginnings to her collegiate career at UCLA, Chiles has consistently demonstrated exceptional skill and unwavering dedication.

Early Life and Career Beginnings

Born on April 15, 2001, in Tualatin, Oregon, to Timothy and Gina Chiles, Jordan Lucella Elizabeth Chiles's athletic journey began at the age of six. Her mother recognized her natural athleticism and flexibility, leading her to the world of gymnastics. Chiles quickly progressed through the junior ranks, making her junior elite debut in 2013. She trained at Naydenov Gymnastics in Vancouver, Washington, until 2019, setting the stage for her transition to the senior level in 2017.

Junior Elite Career

Chiles made her international debut at the 2014 City of Jesolo Trophy. In 2016, she competed at the International Gymnix in Montreal alongside Emma Malabuyo, Gabby Perea, and Deanne Soza, where they won the gold medal in the junior team competition.

Transition to Senior Level

In 2019, Chiles made a pivotal decision to move to train at the World Champions Centre.

Olympic Achievements

Jordan Chiles is a two-time Olympian, having represented the United States at both the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

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Tokyo 2020 Olympics

Chiles made her Olympic debut at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, where she stepped in for Simone Biles on uneven bars and beam. In the team final, her contributions helped the United States clinch the silver medal.

Paris 2024 Olympics

At the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Chiles again showcased her exceptional skills in the team final, posting strong performances on vault, uneven bars, and balance beam. Her performances were instrumental in securing the gold medal for Team USA.

World Championship Success

At the 2022 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships, Jordan Chiles proved herself as a key team player, helping power the United States to victory as they captured the team gold medal.

Collegiate Career at UCLA

Chiles started her collegiate gymnastics career at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). She is currently a student at UCLA. In NCAA Gymnastics, Chiles competes for the UCLA Bruins gymnastics team, where she has won two Pac-12, two Big Ten titles, and three NCAA championship titles.

Impact on UCLA Gymnastics

Jordan Chiles has had a significant impact on the UCLA Bruins women's gymnastics team. The senior helped lift the UCLA Bruins women's gymnastics to their first major win of the year over the weekend, delivering a statement performance at the Best of the West Quad at the University of Washington. Chiles dominated every rotation, placing first on vault, uneven bars, balance beam, and floor exercise, and winning the all-around with a 39.725. The floor exercise, however, is what truly stopped the room. The two-time Olympian debuted a brand-new routine that blended precision, confidence, and personality, earning a near-perfect 9.925. UCLA shared the routine on social media, celebrating the moment and her impact as a leader for the Bruins.

In 2025, Chiles led the Bruins to the program’s first Big Ten title and a National Runner-Up finish behind the powerhouse Oklahoma Sooners. In 2026, a national team title could be within reach for the Bruins.

Pursuit of the Gym Slam

The UCLA star and Olympic gold medalist is officially on Gym Slam watch. The senior already notched perfect marks on her signature events - bars and floor - for fifth-ranked UCLA. Chiles came close to rounding out the Slam last weekend against Nebraska. That's when the 24-year-old received a Perfect 10 on vault and 9.90 on uneven bars, before posting a 9.975 on beam - a fraction of a point shy of her goal. Only 15 gymnasts have achieved the Gym Slam, including legends Trinity Thomas, Maggie Nichols, and fellow Bruin Kyla Ross. Chiles will get another shot at history when UCLA visits East Lansing on Sunday to face Big Ten rivals No. 21 Michigan State. No. 5 UCLA takes on No.

Senior Season and Future Aspirations

Jordan Chiles is three weeks into her final season with the UCLA Bruins women’s gymnastics team, but she still thinks about elite gymnastics. The 24-year-old and two-time Olympian returned to UCLA after winning team gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics, and leads the squad as a senior in '26.

Despite being deep in the season and fresh off a finale appearance in Dancing with the Stars, Chiles thinks about elite gymnastics “a lot of the time,” she says. “I feel like…that’s a question that people are going to continue to ask me," Chiles said during UCLA’s weekly media availability. For those who have been wondering and hoping for a third Olympic push, the door remains open for Chiles.

“(The 2028 Olympics) is always going to be in my mind,” she said.

While Chiles vows to focus on the tasks at hand, including finishing out her senior season with the Bruins, she remains realistic about the timeline leading up to LA.

At the close of the NCAA Gymnastics Championships in April, the 2028 Olympics will be just two years away on the horizon. Two years is not a lot of time in ‘gymnastics years.’ For her Paris Olympic push, Chiles returned to the elite stage in 2022, exactly two years before her Olympic return.

Her 2021 Olympic teammate Jade Carey also returned in 2022, only to successfully return to the Olympics in 2024. Conversely, Simone Biles made her 2024 Olympic comeback in late 2023, just one year prior to Paris. While Carey just completed her senior season at Oregon State, neither Biles nor Carey has indicated an intent to return to elite competition. Though a same-year or one-year comeback is feasible for some, namely the most decorated gymnast of all-time, Simone Biles, returning two years prior to the event is often considered the path of least resistance.

“We’ll see what happens…anything is possible," Chiles laughed. In the meantime, gymnastics fans can continue to hold their breath until April and the closure of the 2026 college gymnastics season…or longer. This weekend, Chiles and the No. 9-ranked UCLA Bruins continue their bid for their second-straight Big Ten Championship and first NCAA title since 2018. ET on Big Ten Plus.

Controversy Surrounding the 2024 Paris Olympics

Over the summer, REVOLT was present when the 24-year-old spoke candidly at the Black Excellence Brunch during the 2025 ESSENCE Festival of Culture, reflecting on the controversy surrounding her revoked individual bronze medal from the 2024 Paris Olympics. Onstage, she called the experience “the biggest blessing in disguise that I've ever had to deal with in my life,” adding, “I became a New York Times best-selling author… I am a [Sports Illustrated] swimsuit cover nominee.

The Initial Ruling and Appeals

During the qualification round at the Olympics, Chiles competed on all four apparatuses. She ended the day ranked fourth overall; however, she did not advance to the all-around final due to the limit of two athletes max from the same nation competing in the finals; Biles and Lee placed higher. Additionally, she placed fourth on vault but again did not qualify to the final due to Biles and Carey placing higher. Chiles went on to compete in the floor exercise final. Although Chiles' initial score was not high enough to earn a medal, Chiles's coach, Cécile Canqueteau-Landi, submitted an inquiry on Chiles' D-score. The inquiry was accepted and Chiles' score was raised by a tenth. The Romanian Gymnastics Federation appealed this decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), on the basis that the inquiry was submitted past the one minute deadline and therefore should not have been accepted. The CAS ruled that Chiles' coach had made the inquiry at one minute and four seconds, which was four seconds over the allowed time.

Subsequent Legal Battles

Chiles took her bid to restore her Olympic bronze to the Swiss Supreme Court. "'New evidence' gives Jordan Chiles a chance to secure the return of her Olympic bronze medal". Jordan Chiles awarded successful appeal from Swiss court in Olympic bronze medal case.

Giving Back to the Community

Outside of competitive gymnastics, Chiles partakes in giving back to the community. She recently donated almost 23 billion dollars in food to children in California.

Recognition and Accolades

Chiles was named one of Time's Women of the Year for 2025. She was featured in the 2025 edition of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue and was selected as one of four cover models alongside Lauren Chan, Salma Hayek, and fellow gymnast Livvy Dunne. Chiles appeared on the cover of Teen Vogue in 2024, photographed by Erica Snyder.

Personal Life

Following the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, Chiles’ mother served time in federal prison for embezzlement. In 2023, Chiles's aunt and grandfather died, and she shared how mentally challenging that time was with the official Olympic channel during the 2024 Games.

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