The 2023 gymnastics season was a thrilling journey for fans worldwide. From Simone Biles’ comeback to Team USA’s seventh world championship title in Antwerp and the Pan American Games Women’s Gymnastics Team Final, the USA women shone. A shining star among the array of excellence was Jordan Chiles, who not only made waves as an elite gymnast but was also a key member of the UCLA gymnastics team who consistently excelled in the all-around category throughout the season.

But despite the waves she made as part of the UCLA Bruins, Jordan Chiles decided to leave her UCLA gymnastics teammates and return to her Texas training base for another pursuit, and recently she shared the immense fortitude this decision took.

Jordan Chiles opens up about the dilemma of leaving

According to Olympics.com, Jordan Chiles, the 2020 Tokyo Olympic silver medalist, sat down to share her plans for 2024 and also revealed the difficult decision she made in 2023 to leave the UCLA Bruins. Her standout NCAA 2023 season included a season-high score of 39.900 against Iowa State, ranking as the highest score nationally for the season and the fifth-best all-time, making her decision to move her training base from Los Angeles to Texas a tricky choice. Chiles shared that she didn’t know where the path was leading her, but she “just really wanted to take time to myself to make sure I was ready and mentally prepared going into this next cycle of my life.”

But with encouragement from her coach and others, she decided to chase her Olympic dream once again. Jordan Chiles started training late for the Olympics, participating in the U.S. Classic and the U.S. Championships. Even though she didn’t make it to the Worlds, she did well in the Pan American Games, winning gold in the team event, silver in the vault, and bronze in the all-around. So how does she plan to conquer 2024 and pave her path to the Paris 2024 Olympics?

The road leading to the Paris 2024 Olympics

The gymnastics events at the Paris Olympics will take place between the 27th of July and the 5th of August. The US Olympic trials for gymnastics are scheduled for June 22, 2024, at the Minneapolis Convention Center. As the road to Paris draws near, Jordan Chiles’s mindset for the upcoming U.S. Olympic trials and the Paris Olympics is clear: she wants to focus on training, regain her consistency, and enjoy every moment.

Read more: Ahead of Paris 2024, Recalling Simone Biles’ ‘Best Week of My Life’ at the 2016 Rio Olympics

Watch this story: “Beat You”: Gymnastics’ Emerging Sensation Challenges Simone Biles for the Lead.