With Simone Biles leading the charge, Team USA, including Suni Lee, Jordan Chiles, Jade Carey, and Hezly Rivera, took home gold in the women’s gymnastics team event at the Paris Olympics. For Biles, this victory marked the beginning of her much-anticipated “redemption tour” and her first Olympic gold since Rio 2016. After battling the ‘twisties’—a disorienting mental block that caused her to withdraw from several events in Tokyo—Biles’ win was a comeback for the ages, proving that she’s still the queen of the sport. But who replaced her at the Tokyo Olympics?

Well, Jordan Chiles had to step up to the plate after Biles’ withdrawal following the first rotation. She performed admirably on the uneven bars and balance beam but faltered on her third pass on the floor exercise. As a result, the U.S. team secured silver, narrowly missing out on gold behind the Russian Olympic Committee.

Leading up to the Games, Chiles had been hitting all the right notes, performing flawlessly in 24 routines throughout the season. However, in qualifications, she struggled in multiple events, finishing 40th overall. On the uneven bars, she brushed her feet on the ground during a transition, incurring a deduction, and on the balance beam, she fell during her acrobatic series and put her hands down on her dismount.

Along with these bumps in the road, Chiles was unable to fill Biles’ shoes in the finals, and the U.S. team ultimately took home silver. This result left her feeling like she had been handed a raw deal as she grappled with the weight of not being able to deliver her best performance in Tokyo.

According to a Rolling Stone publication, Chiles opened up about her struggles, revealing, “I called my mom because I was like, ‘I failed. I’m done. This is crazy, and the world’s gonna hate me, [just] bawling my eyes out. So coming back, I [thought] maybe I need just to get the elite world out of my brain. I want to live my college life, go find a man, however it needs to be. But then I kept thinking every day maybe I have more to give. In that moment, I was like, what’s there to lose?”

Despite feeling disheartened, Chiles couldn’t shake the belief that she had more to offer. She told herself that her Tokyo experience was merely a preview and that her true potential lay ahead. And what next?

In Paris, Chiles and her 4 Tokyo 2021 teammates embarked on a redemption tour, determined to make their mark. They wanted to prove themselves and aim for gold medals. Reflecting on their journey, Chiles expressed a sense of being in the right place at the right time, ready to seize the moment. Her goal was to celebrate with a gold medal and Mickey ears at the Paris Disney Castle, a symbol of both her triumph and her personal growth. And they did it! But was it so easy for Jordan Chiles? Thankfully, her teammates were there to give her that last push that she needed to succeed.

Jordan Chiles and Team USA’s gymnasts take gold after a dramatic qualification round

On July 28th, during the Olympic qualification round, Team USA’s gymnastics squad faced a high-stakes challenge. Simone Biles, Suni Lee, and Jordan Chiles were all in contention for spots in the all-around final, and the qualification hinged on a crucial performance on the uneven bars. Biles dazzled with a standout routine, securing her place in the final and setting up a dramatic head-to-head battle between Lee and Chiles for the remaining spot.

Lee, competing last, needed to score 14.800 or higher to edge out Chiles. She delivered a score of 14.866, clinching the final spot, while Chiles, despite a commendable total score of 56.065, was left out due to the Olympic rule limiting each country to two athletes per individual final.

In the finals, Simone Biles cemented her legacy by claiming her eighth Olympic medal as Team USA triumphed in the women’s team final. The squad dominated the competition with a combined score of 171.296, more than 5.802 points ahead of Italy (165.494), who earned their first artistic gymnastics medal in 96 years. Brazil secured bronze (164.497), narrowly beating Great Britain.

The Americans reclaimed their position as the top team in gymnastics after settling for silver in Tokyo, where Biles withdrew from the team final after competing only in the vault. This victory marked their third team gold in the last four Summer Games. The team started strong with vault routines by Chiles (14.000) and Carey (14.800), followed by Biles scoring 14.900.

Although Biles didn’t qualify for the uneven bars final, she delivered a stellar routine, scoring 14.366. Chiles (14.400) and Lee (14.566) further boosted the team’s lead, which grew to a commanding 3.102 points over Italy. The beam and floor exercises saw strong performances, with Lee and Chiles maintaining their momentum and Biles finishing the event with a show-stopping routine to Taylor Swift’s “Ready for It?” scoring 14.666 and sealing an unforgettable victory for the Americans. What more could we ask for? They absolutely nailed it!!!