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Can Jordan Chiles ever escape the shadow of her Olympic controversy despite her achievements?

The dust has long settled on the 2024 Paris Olympics, but Jordan Chiles hasn’t been able to leave that experience behind. Even though she had an incredible stint in the French capital, the gymnast was soon caught up in a controversy surrounding her Olympic bronze medal just days later. The debate started back in August, yet it still seems to resurface in her life. As a result, the 23-year-old decided to cope with her shock and heartbreak by taking a momentary break from social media.

After an incredible performance in the floor exercise, the gymnast stepped onto the podium alongside Simone Biles and Rebeca Andrade. However, things took a turn when her final score of 13.766 came under scrutiny. Much to her dismay, this led to her bronze medal being stripped by the Court of Arbitration. As gut-wrenching as that was, she took several steps to move past this difficult moment, with her best friend, the G.O.A.T. herself, by her side throughout. What have the duo been up to lately?

Jordan Chiles can’t help but be grateful for Simone Biles

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The two are currently busy traveling for the Gold Over America Tour and recently caught up with CNN Sports Anchor Coy Wire. He asked the 23-year-old what it was like to leave a lasting impression, and she didn’t hold back.“It’s definitely cool. I know that it’s something, especially being able to be with [Simone], that she left an impact on me and being able to do that to a younger generation is beyond remarkable,” Jordan Chiles confessed.

via Reuters

Paris may have left an indelible mark on the 23-year-old, but competing alongside and being friends with the 11-time Olympic medalist has made the experience a bit more bearable for the gymnast. The tour embarked on its 35-city journey on September 16 in Oceanside, California, and will finally conclude on November 3 in Detroit, Michigan. Like the first edition, the goal is to build confidence in the next generation of athletes while connecting with and celebrating their fans.

So, what has their time been like on the tour so far? “Going from state to state, city to city, however it is, just always making sure that they understand that, you know, this is her words, but they’re always golden,” Jordan Chiles added. Simone Biles believes that the next generation has always had a spark in them. The 23-year-old reiterated, “They can shine bright and do the things they need to do.” However, even though this was advice for the upcoming athletes, the Olympian might have taken that to heart. But is she still reeling from the harrowing experience at the Paris Olympics? 

The 23-year-old refused to let the incident bring her down

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Can Jordan Chiles ever escape the shadow of her Olympic controversy despite her achievements?

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If there’s one word to describe Jordan Chiles throughout this entire ordeal, it would be resilient. Having her bronze medal stripped understandably affected the gymnast. In fact, she dubbed it as “one of the most challenging moments” of her career. The direct aftermath of this incident led to her love for the sport nearly dwindling. But she also reiterated that she created history that night, something nothing can change. 

Undeterred, she moved past it and explored an entirely different avenue. The gymnast made it on the July/August cover of Teen Vogue. But she also caught the world’s eye by turning heads at the New York Fashion Week! On September 7, the 23-year-old closed out the Kim Shui Spring 2025 show in a silver outfit. While the leotard-reminiscent outfit was dazzling as it is, she sprinkled in some of her own flair by opting for sneakers instead of heels. 

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If that wasn’t exciting enough, the Olympian appeared at the MTV Video Music Awards with Flavor Flav. After presenting the Best Collaboration award, Jordan Chiles got to have her own Olympic moment on the stage. When the gymnast lost her Olympic medal, the rapper promised to give her something no one could take away. Keeping his word, he presented her with the bronze clock necklace.

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When things seemed to have cooled down, this saga received a game-changer! The second part of Netflix’s Simone Biles Rising was released earlier this month. The crew had followed the 11x Olympic medalist throughout their time at the Olympics. So, she might have a fighting chance with the footage from her best friend’s comeback documentary! On September 16, the gymnast filed for a new appeal with the Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland. She is still trying to overturn the CAS ruling. 

The documentary’s director, Katie Walsh, stated they could prove when Cecile Landi submitted the inquiry. According to them, they asked to reevaluate the gymnast’s score 49 seconds after the results came in. We haven’t heard the verdict for the final verdict since the new appeal. But it’s safe to say that Simone Biles continues to have her best friend’s back both on and off the mat.

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