Being a fan is like being a backseat driver, easy to criticize, hard to actually do the driving. And that’s exactly what happens when fans forget how much pressure athletes are under. Take Jordan Chiles, for example. After returning to UCLA as a junior, following the whole controversy with her Olympic bronze medal being stripped, she was determined to bounce back and help her team. But fans don’t always get the full story. Jordan was all in, ready to bring her A-game and help UCLA win big, but when the NCAA season opener on January 4th didn’t go according to plan, the heat was on.

Despite the weight of being an Olympic medalist, Chiles put everything she had into it. But as we all know, gymnastics is a team sport, not a one-person show. Even though the Bruins finished third behind California and Oregon State at the American Gold Women’s Collegiate Gymnastics Classic, with Chiles leading the charge, this is just the beginning. She performed flawlessly, yet the criticism in sports never really stops, and it’s no surprise it came her way. But just like always, Chiles shut down the doubters and proved they were all wrong!

Chiles claps back at criticism with humor

UCLA had a bit of a rocky start at the American Gold Women’s Collegiate Gymnastics Classic, finishing third with a score of 195.250. They were up against some tough competition, with California taking first place and Oregon State just edging them out by 0.500 points. Things didn’t quite go as planned for the Bruins right from the beginning. Some key veterans, like Chae Campbell and Emma Malabuyo, had fallen on bars, which set them back early in the meet. But, as is often the case in gymnastics, setbacks like these are just part of the game. Freshmen like Macy McGowan and Mika Webster-Longin stepped up, helping to cover some of those lower scores, even though it was clear that the team wasn’t quite firing on all cylinders yet.

Beam had some solid performances, especially from Emily Lee and Ciena Alipio, but there were a few hiccups with lower-than-expected scores from others. But there was a bright spot for UCLA, and that came in the form of Jordan Chiles. Jordan Chiles wowed everyone with her season debut vault- a Yurchenko half into a front tuck half off the table. It got a 10.0 start value and a solid 9.900, which was the highest score of the meet for the Bruins. Of course, some fans couldn’t help but compare her vault to Suni Lee’s. Suni’s not competing in NCAA gymnastics this year because she’s dealing with two kidney diseases, so she didn’t return to Auburn.

 

That didn’t stop a fan, @Sunisezhova, from posting a sarcastic post about Jordan’s vault as she shared a picture of Chiles’ vault move even though it was flawless, but still threw some shade. Another fan, Yuyuan’s Amanar, added, “Ntm as a Suni fan,” which sparked a little back-and-forth.

Jordan wasn’t having any of it, though. She jumped in with a quick, playful reply: “So what was the point of this…? the entertainment lol,” calling out the comment with humor. It was clear she wasn’t letting the criticism get to her. And the fans, of course, rallied behind her. But while all of this was happening, let’s not forget Suni Lee’s iconic vault at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where she hit a Yurchenko double full and scored 13.933, with just a slight hop on the landing. Both Jordan and Suni bring their unique strengths to the table, and they both deserve respect for their skills which other fans believe.

Jordan Chiles stands tall, with fans rallying behind her

After some fans threw shade at Jordan Chiles, others quickly rushed to her defense. One fan commented, “

Just people being pathetic, take no notice queen!” Another added, “To ridicule. Silly behavior tbvh,” and another said, ” These kind of people should be ashamed of themselves, this is no way to treat a Olympic medalist.” And honestly, that’s very true, especially considering what Chiles has already been through. She’s faced enough adversity, especially after the controversy surrounding her bronze medal at the Olympics.

To recap, Chiles’ bronze was initially boosted after an appeal by Team USA’s coach Cecile Landi, which added 0.1 points to her score, putting her on the podium. But Romania protested the appeal, arguing that it was filed after the time frame had passed. The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled that the protest was invalid, and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) decided to remove Chiles’ bronze, restoring the podium to include Romania’s Barbosu. Chiles opened up about how the whole situation impacted her mental health, bringing back painful memories of her past experiences with an abusive coach.

Despite this, Chiles made it clear she wouldn’t return the medal, standing firm in her belief that she made history. Even though Chiles already has two Olympic medals one gold and one silver, fans still rallied behind her, recognizing her achievements and defending her against the online negativity.