The past month has been pretty rough for Jordan Chiles, but if anyone can handle it, it’s her. She’s been through a lot over the last 2 years—losing a bronze medal and dealing with family losses and injuries—but she always bounces back. Recently, there’s been a lot of drama about her Olympic bronze medal. Initially, she scored 13.666, which put her in fifth place, and now she’s been stripped of that medal due to some controversy. It makes you wonder how she’s been feeling, especially with all the attention and pressure surrounding her.

Minutes after the judge’s decision, Jordan Chiles was the first to notice the change—she was practically jumping for joy while a stunned Landi stared at the leaderboard. Her score was revised to 13.766, securing her third position and the bronze medal. But just five days later, the decision was overturned. But before that, when Chiles took the bronze medal home, it felt like a dream come true. (She wasn’t aware her bronze medal would be stripped).

In a podcast interview on Chicks in the Office, Chiles opened up about the emotional plane ride back. The host asked her what it was like to travel from Paris, where the Olympics were held, back to Texas with the medal. As the host asked, “What’s that plane ride back like? What’s going through your head?” Chiles shared how surreal and exhilarating the experience was, highlighting just how special that moment was for her.

Chiles said, “There were so many emotions going through my head on that plane ride. I was asleep the whole time, but I still was replaying things in my head, and I was just beyond proud of every accomplishment that I’ve achieved throughout the years. I mean, the past two years of my life has been crazy in general, with losses in my family and having to be in the hospital so much—it was just crazy. So it was really more about realizing everything that I’ve gone through and kind of just saying thank you, you know? Thank you for staying in my sport and just continuing to stay true to myself.”

In 2023, Jordan Chiles faced some incredibly tough times. She lost her aunt and grandfather, both of whom were major sources of support and inspiration for her. She made the difficult decision to leave UCLA after the college season to focus on the Olympics, partly to honor her ailing aunt. On the day she was supposed to compete at the Pac-12 Championships, her aunt was hospitalized, and Chiles quickly flew home. Sadly, her aunt, Crystal Oliver, passed away just a few days later, leaving a huge void in Chiles’ life.

But the struggles didn’t end there. In November 2023, after a successful showing at the Pan American Games in Santiago, where she earned a silver medal in vault and a bronze in the all-around, Chiles faced another heartbreaking loss. Her grandfather, Gene Velasquez, who had always been a rock for her with his encouraging words and unwavering support, passed away. His words, “Where you are, I have been; where I am, you will be,” which Chiles had tattooed on her arm, had always inspired her. Losing him was another heavy blow as she navigated her way through an incredibly challenging year. But it wasn’t enough.

The fallout of Jordan Chiles’ Olympic medal

At the beginning of 2023, Jordan Chiles encountered a series of injuries; she was unable to compete in the Winter Cup in February because of a sprained shoulder, and after that, she suffered from a bone bruise and a partial tear of the lateral collateral ligament (LCL) in her knee. But then again another setback.

During the 2024 Olympics in Paris, the International Olympic Committee revoked Jordan Chiles bronze medal due to a ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport. This decision changed her placement from fifth to third in the floor exercise competition. Then, USA Gymnastics is currently challenging this ruling. Taking it to the Swiss Federal Tribunal for further review and consideration.

The Romanian Gymnastics Federation has also joined the fray, filing an appeal to the Swiss Federal Tribunal on behalf of gymnast Sabrina Voinea, who claims she deserves the bronze medal. Additionally, the RGF is seeking to facilitate discussions between Chiles, Voinea, and the current bronze medalist, Ana Barbosu, about the possibility of sharing the medal. The current situation might feel like a storm, but her ability to navigate through it shows she’s not letting trouble define her—she’s actively working to overcome it.