Under Jordan Chiles’ leadership, the United States won the women’s team event at the Pan American Games setting a straight record. Yet, Chiles’ prominence for this feat went beyond the simple desire for medals. She dreamed of being a flag bearer at a major sports event after seeing her friend Simone Biles carry the flag at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics closing ceremony in 2016. Now, during the opening ceremony in Santiago on Friday, the 22-year-old fulfilled her dream.

This month at the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships, Biles led the United States squad to its seventh straight victory. Now, upon learning about the recent victory of her team, she showered her teammates with praise. And having your idol clap for you was a special moment for Chiles.

Simone Biles cheers for her team

Jordan Chiles?joyfully carried the American flag at the National Stadium during the Pan American Games opening ceremony in Santiago, Chile. Thereafter, Chiles led Kayla DiCello, Zoe Miller, Kaliya Lincoln, and Tiana Sumanasekera to collect a major gold this week. To celebrate the momentous team win, Team USA shared an Instagram post with the winners. Reposting her squad, Simone Biles shared an Instagram story captioned, “so proud of team USA & our WCC girls @zoemiller @tianasumanasekera @jordanchiles”

America won the women’s all-around competition with a total of 165.196 points, with a major contribution from Chiles. This was their sixth consecutive Pan American Games gold medal. Later, Chiles told a journalist, ?It was really cool to be the flagbearer, then coming out here to win gold with an amazing team.? Interestingly, Jordan Chiles, Tiana Sumanasekera, and Zoe Miller were coached by Biles’s WCC coach, Cecile Landi, who helped to guide them to victory.

The Brazilian squad, captained by Biles’ close friend and Olympic gold medallist Rebeca Andrade, presented fierce opposition. Brazil scored 161.564 points followed by Canada, who won the bronze medal with a final score of 154.230 points. Kayla DiCello who also won bronze in the all-around competition at the 2021 Worlds, proved her mettle by earning the highest scores on the uneven bars and floor exercise. She took home an all-around gold, Flavia Saraiva of Brazil won the silver medal, and Chiles took a bronze. However, the medals weren’t the only examples set by the American women’s team!

American gymnastics team hits an unexpected milestone

In addition to winning a gold medal, the U.S. women’s artistic gymnastics team not only demonstrated incredible domination in the playing field but also, and perhaps most importantly, represented female empowerment in a way never seen before. The all-female Team USA delegation in Santiago is a unique occasion; it hasn’t happened in an Olympic or Pan American Games since at least the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 1984.

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The team’s head coach, Cecile Landi, a 1996 French Olympian, reflected on the historic event and emphasized the mood of “girl power” that pervaded the squad. She conveyed the group’s collective delight, adding, ?When we saw who was traveling, we were pretty excited.?

While 2005 American Pan American gold medalist, Chellsie Memmel said, ?Obviously, there’s a lot of great male coaches, but it feels really special to have a whole delegation of women.?? Adding her take on this, Chiles noted, ?The culture is just changing.? ?

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