Jordan Chiles is hardly a stranger to wrestling with the shadows. Especially after her bronze medal win at the 2024 Paris Olympics got stretched into a full-fledged controversy, and admittedly, took a toll on her mental health.  Thus, she has now turned into an even stronger advocate of how gymnastics is about balance – literally and figuratively.

As she reflects on a chapter from her personal life, Chiles draws a connection to how a slight imbalance on one end is bound to topple the table. This applies not just to gymnastics but to any sport, as they all require a delicate harmony between these two aspects, according to the team gold medalist. What are they?

Jordan Chiles revisits the 2023 horrors that threw her off the game

Sitting down for a chat with Nasdaq, as uploaded on their YouTube channel on September 6, Jordan Chiles answers if she feels, ‘Gymnastics is a lot of times, a mental sport, instead of just a physical sport.’ In agreement with the same, the 23-year-old gymnast remarked, “One hundred percent.” Chiles then commented on how this seems a universal aspect that stands true for most sports.

“I don’t even think it’s just gymnastics in general, because there have been times where a pitcher forgets how to throw. There have been times where a hitter does not know how to hit. There have been times where you may not be able to shoot a three-pointer. So I think it’s mostly just the mental aspect of what you’re going through can kind of take a toll on you,” she remarked.

A player’s state of mind is invariably connected to their performance. Thus, when Jordan Chiles went through a rough patch in 2023 after losing two of her loved ones, it hit her like a ton of bricks. The impact of her mental breakdown was evident in her performances on the mats as well. She admitted, “I didn’t know how to cope with that. I didn’t know whether or not, you know, it was real. I didn’t know what was happening. But it did mess up my sport. Because it is a mental game.” 

In 2023, Chiles went through a difficult time personally. Her aunt and grandfather’s demise shook her to the core. And she had confessed to not being at her best back then. She was unsure how far along was she in the healing process and how the thoughts would strike her intermittently. “Some days I feel great, and then on days like making my second Olympics, I was so happy and then I was sad that they weren’t there to witness it,” she had previously confessed.

To her, the jolt felt like one that snatched away two of her biggest supporters. And naturally, the impact was seen in her performances. Even recently, after the Paris Olympics floor exercise bronze tussle ended in a medal swap, Chiles was visibly affected.

Chiles’ coping mechanism in troubling times

To prioritize her mental health, Chiles announced, “I’m taking this time and removing myself from social media for mental health thank you.” She distanced herself, hoping to not let the criticism get under her skin. However, one can barely run away from the thoughts pounding in their mind right? So then how does Jordan Chiles keep that in check?

Chiles recently shed light on what fuels her to power through heartbreaks, especially the one from the City of Lights. She added an Instagram story featuring a quote that read, “See how I let God handle it? Very patient, very faithful, very humble.” What do you think of her spirit to prevail through tough patches? Let us know below.