UCLA’s impressive nine-meet winning streak came to an end on Saturday night as the No. 4 Bruins fell to No. 5 Utah in a thrilling showdown at the Jon M. Huntsman Center on March 15. With a sold-out crowd of 15,558 in attendance and Utah celebrating Senior Night, emotions were running high. The meet was packed with jaw-dropping performances, including Grace McCallum’s first perfect 10 of the season and a rare misstep from Jordan Chiles in her floor routine. Was it normal, or was Chiles really suffering from injury? Beyond the fierce competition, there was one moment that stood out! After the meeting, Jordan Chiles’ mother left a comment about a special moment.

McCallum delivered a stunning balance beam routine, sticking her landing with precision. As soon as she finished, the senior gymnast was overcome with emotion, tears streaming down her face while the judges awarded her a perfect score. She hopped and jumped on the balance beam, celebrating what was undoubtedly the best performance of the night. Her teammates and coach erupted in cheers, recognizing the significance of her achievement even before the score was officially announced.

Despite being on the opposing team, Jordan Chiles was among the first to celebrate McCallum’s moment of perfection. The two gymnasts, who were teammates during the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, share a deep bond that extends beyond competition. An Instagram page, ‘Planet of Gymnastics,’ highlighted the moment on March 17, posting: “@jordanchiles stopped to cheer on Tokyo Olympic teammate @grace.mccallum even before the 10 was announced 🥹 and then the whole UCLA team joined in once the score flashed 😭❤️.” Chiles’ mother, Gina Chiles, couldn’t resist commenting on the post, writing, “My favorite part of who she is…AND how can you not cheer for Grace!!” Her words served as both praise for her daughter’s character and admiration for McCallum’s accomplishment.

While Chiles was there to uplift her teammate, she faced her own challenges during the meeting. She stumbled in her floor routine and struggled on vault, where she debuted her double-twisting Yurchenko for the first time this season but only managed a 9.775, matching her season-low score. Chiles and freshman Macy McGowan, who had been key pieces of UCLA’s floor rotation, posted scores of 9.825 and 9.650, respectively.

In the midst of UCLA’s loss and Chiles’ struggles, the meet offered a powerful reminder of what sports are truly about. McCallum’s perfect 10 was a triumph, and Chiles’ unwavering support for her friend showed that camaraderie transcends rivalries. Chiles’ performance led to speculation from fans. The fans questioned whether Chiles was dealing with an injury or if it was fatigue taking a toll as the Big Ten Championships are also coming closer.

Mother confirms Jordan Chiles’ injury scare ahead of Big 10 gymnastics meet

For a gymnast of Chiles’ caliber, the mistakes she made in her routine did not add up. As the anchor of UCLA’s floor lineup, she carried the weight of delivering a big score to help the Bruins close the gap after not-so-good first two rotations. The Olympian, during her floor routine, under-rotated, hopped back on her landing, and later, stumbled out of her dive roll. The move left the packed Jon M. Huntsman Center in disbelief. The judges penalized Chiles’ routine three times: 0.1 for a step, 0.1 for over-rotation, and 0.5 for her dive roll. This left many fans concerned that she was dealing with some kind of injury.

Chiles’ mother, Gina, stepped in to provide some clarity. Late that night, she posted on X: “Seeing worried comments—Rest is always good, but just for clarity—she fell off her scooter in the rain and hurt her tailbone this week. So she is feeling it on every event. Running on vault and floor passes especially when she hit it on the dive roll. She’s ok—just hurts.” The pain from the injury likely affected Chiles’ landings, explaining her unusual struggles. A million-dollar question with no obvious answer—will Jordan Chiles recover in time for the Big Ten Championships?

In the midst of UCLA’s loss and Chiles’ struggles, the meet still offered a powerful reminder of resilience and camaraderie. Now, as the Bruins prepare for the Big Ten Championships, all eyes will be on Chiles to see if she can bounce back and deliver the performances fans know she’s capable of.