Do or die—this is Jordan Chiles’ chance to show that her Olympic experience doesn’t define her. After that blow in Paris, where she lost her bronze medal due to a timing mix-up, she’s ready to move forward with UCLA. The first round of the NCAA didn’t go as planned, but now she’s all in for the second round on January 11th. Representing UCLA, Chiles isn’t just aiming to win—she’s out to prove she’s stronger than ever. With Ana Barbosu set to compete for Stanford (next season), the competition is fierce, but Chiles knows this is her time to rise above it all and show she’s a real contender.

Well, UCLA gymnastics had a bit of a tough start to the season, recording its lowest score since 2022 and finishing third at the American Gold Women’s Collegiate Gymnastics Classic with a score of 195.250. They were edged out by No. 4 California (196.450) and No. 19 Oregon State (195.750), and it wasn’t an easy ride, especially on bars where Chae Campbell and Emma Malabuyo both had falls. Campbell posted one of the lowest scores of the meet. However, Jordan Chiles stepped up with the highest score of the day for UCLA, earning a 9.900 on vault. Despite some strong individual performances, the team couldn’t recover from the early setbacks, but now they’re fired up and ready to bounce back!

Jordan Chiles’ teammate, Katelyn Rosen, had a tough start in the season opener, scoring a career-low 9.575, but she’s not letting that hold her back. The 2024 All-Pac-12 All-Around selection is already focused on bouncing back. UCLA, ranked No. 12, is getting ready to take on some tough teams—Arkansas, Kentucky, and Ohio State—at the Sprouts Farmers Market Collegiate Quad. After their rough performance in the American Gold Women’s Collegiate Gymnastics Classic on January 4th, finishing last, the Bruins are determined to clean up their mistakes and find their rhythm for the rest of the season.

Katelyn Rosen put it perfectly: “We definitely want to make our mark on the Big Ten, and we want to start our legacy in this conference. But again, the focus isn’t on the other teams. The focus is on what we are going to do.” For Jordan Chiles, it’s about more than just the team—it’s her chance to prove she deserved that Olympic bronze that was taken from her in Paris.

Jordan Chiles stripped of her bronze medal after a controversial IOC decision

Chiles was stripped of her bronze medal from the 2024 Paris Olympics after a controversial decision by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). It all started when her coach, Cecile Landi, challenged her floor exercise score, which bumped her up to 13.766, earning her the bronze. However, CAS noted that the appeal was submitted way past the allowed time and, therefore, the medal went to Romanian gymnast Ana Barbosu.

This whole ordeal has been so terrible for Jordan Chiles, and she did make history when she stood on the Olympic podium as the first all-black trio with Simone Biles and Rebeca Andrade. Jordan and USA Gymnastics also insist that the challenge was legitimate and even brought video to back it up. Despite the IOC’s ruling, Jordan’s been clear: she knows what happened, and she will only keep claiming that she deserved that medal, and she won’t let go.