Jordan Chiles has been through quite a lot of lows in her career. The Paris Olympics bronze debacle has been widely covered and known by viewers by now. But there was a time in the gymnast’s career when she felt like she couldn’t compete in the sport anymore. Back in 2018, after finishing 11th in the all-around at nationals, Jordan hit a wall and decided to call it quits. She thought, “I didn’t think the sport wanted me anymore,” as she told the New York Times.

But after a heart-to-heart with Simone Biles and some family pep talks, Jordan got her spark back and decided to give gymnastics another shot. That decision turned out to be a game-changer. Her comeback led to a stellar performance at the Tokyo Olympics trials, where she clinched a spot in her first Olympic competition. It was a moment that transformed her career. Her mom, Gina Chiles, who was in the stands that day, feeling a mix of pride and intimidation watching, reshaped her image in the eyes of American gymnastics fans.

In the Got It From My Momma podcast, Gina Chiles opened up to host Jennifer Vickery Smith about how overwhelmed she felt by the support Jordan received during those trials. With Jordan finishing third behind the legendary Simone Biles and Suni Lee, it was a monumental outing. As Jordan nailed her floor routine, Gina could barely contain her excitement. The whole family knew that no matter what happened, Jordan had given it her all. Her biggest lesson to Jordan?

“You can’t control the uncontrollables.” At that moment, Gina realized that Jordan had done enough to be proud of, regardless of the outcome. But what truly blew her away was the overwhelming support from the audience. For the first time, she felt like they weren’t alone in this journey; it was a stark contrast to those darker days of 2018. Talk about a comeback story!

She said, “Hearing the roar of the crowd and realizing in that moment that it’s just not you that, you know, that’s pushing and cheering for your kid, but that you have, you know, I think there was like 20,000 plus people in that arena also cheering for your daughter.” It was a truly special moment, as that was the first time Jordan Chiles started feeling the love of her supporters in her career.

This immense love is clear in the way fans rallied for Jordan Chiles after her bronze medal performance and controversy at the Paris Olympics as well. Despite facing some dark moments in her career, she’s been backed by one of the most loyal fanbases in the sport. And her mom, Gina, took a moment to acknowledge this solid support yet again.

Jordan Chiles’ mother thank fans for their support during the bronze medal fiasco

Jordan Chiles’ bronze medal controversy at the Paris Olympics was a rough one. After missing out on her first individual Olympic medal to Romania’s Ana Bărbosu, things only got worse when she faced a storm of racist and nasty comments from trolls on social media. Feeling overwhelmed, Jordan decided to step back from the online world to focus on her mental health—and honestly, who could blame her?

But here’s where it gets heartwarming. The gymnastics community wasn’t about to let one of their own suffer in silence. Fans and fellow gymnasts quickly rallied around her, calling out what many believed to be unfair decisions by the International Gymnastics Federation and the Court of Arbitration for Sport. The outpouring of love and support helped Jordan regain her footing, eventually returning to social media and making the rounds at major events like the US Open, WNBA games, and even slaying the runway at New York Fashion Week. And you can bet her mom, Gina Chiles, wasn’t going to let that support go unnoticed.

On September 30th, she hopped onto X to share her gratitude, writing, “Thanks for going hard for Jordan. We see you and appreciate ya.” It was a heartfelt shoutout to everyone who had Jordan’s back when she needed it most. Despite the buzz and twists of the case still unfurling, Jordan Chiles is not slowing down. She’s got her sights set on the future. She’s returning to UCLA to finish up her collegiate gymnastics career, and fans are all hoping this change will recharge her for another epic comeback at the LA Olympics in 2028.