Sassy moves, stylish acrylic nails, and leotards that scream rockstar—enter Jordan Chiles, one of the biggest names on the Team USA gymnastics squad. When Simone Biles stepped back at the Tokyo Olympics, Jordan was there, a shining beacon of hope. Born on April 15, 2001, in Tualatin, Oregon, to Timothy and Gina Chiles, Jordan was named after basketball legend Michael Jordan. Naturally, her love for Nike and those iconic sneakers followed. Fun fact: Jordan Chiles boasts a whopping 200 pairs of sneakers! Her Nike Air Jordans “VIP Lounge” closet showcases about 100 pairs, all arranged by color and design. The rest of her collection is stored in Los Angeles, along with her home with Gina!

Did you know? Ahead of the Paris Olympics, the legend himself, Michael Jordan, reached out with a message: “Hey Jordan, this is Michael Jordan. I am so excited to watch you win a gold medal. Here’s to wishing you nothing but good luck. Let’s catch up afterwards. Hope to see you soon MJ.” Talk about a confidence boost! Growing up in Vancouver, Washington, Jordan found her passion for gymnastics early, winning her first ribbon as a level four gymnast. But after a tough 2018, she considered quitting gymnastics following an 11th-place finish at the US Championships.

But her now-bestie, Simone Biles, stepped in and invited Jordan to train with her. Two days later, she packed her bags and moved to Spring, Texas, in 2019 to enroll at the World Champions Centre owned by Biles’ parents and begin training under Laurent and Cecile Landi. Now, as she gears up for her second Olympic run in Paris, Jordan Chiles is ready to shine even brighter. Let’s dive into her incredible journey and see how this sneakerhead rockstar is taking the gymnastics world by storm!

Early Career (2013-2016): Junior Gymnastics Career

2013:

Jordan Chiles made her elite debut with the American Classic; she won the bronze medal in the all-around and the silver in the vault. Later in the same year, Jordan performed at the P&G National Championship, finishing eleventh in all-around and sixth at the vault. With her stellar performances at the event, the gymnast star made it to the Junior National Team.

2014:

2014 was an amazing year for Chiles. The gymnast made her international debut with the City of Jesolo Trophy, where she won gold with the team. She achieved second place in the vault and sixth place in the all-around competition. The Olympian gymnast won the Secret US Classic, claiming first place with an overall score of 57.350. Later in the subsequent year, she competed in the US National Championship, where she bagged two bronze each in vault and floor and was placed fourth in all-around.

2015:

In 2015, Jordan Chiles battled in the US Classics. With her display of exceptional gymnastics prowess, she was placed eighth in the all-around. She tied with Jazmyn Foberg to clinch bronze on uneven bars. Later in the same year, Chiles took a plunge into the US National Championship, clinching gold in the vault while finishing fourth in the all-around. Following these events, the junior national team again selected the national champion.

2016:

Moving ahead in her career history, Jordan Chiles’ participation in the International Gymnix (Montreal) with her team comprising Emma Malabuyo, Gabby Perea, and Deanne Soza won gold in the competition. She won an individual gold medal on the vault in the same event.

Jordan’s next appearance as a junior gymnast was for the City of Jesolo Trophy in 2016. She made a remarkable win in the tournament, bagging the junior all-around title and gold in the vault. The Olympian was placed fifth on the balance beam and eighth on floor exercises. She tied with Emma Malabuyo for the silver medal on uneven bars.

Chiles’ third participation of the year was at the US Classic. She secured the gold medal by placing first on the vault and finishing fourth overall. 2016 was the world champion’s final year as a junior gymnast.

Senior Career (2017-2021)

2017:

In 2017, Jordan Chiles again stepped into the American Classic, but as a senior gymnast. She competed only in two disciplines: uneven bars and balance beam. The gymnast finished in fourth position on uneven bars, whereas she stood fifth on the balance beam. Chiles competed in various competitions, including the US National Championship and the US Classic. Later in September 2017, the gymnast was selected as the non-traveling alternative for the World Championship.

2018:

From the beginning of 2018, Chiles was seen participating in prestigious bouts, including the Stuttgart World Cup in March, where she made her senior international debut with the highest scores on vault and floor. Continuing with her next competition in April, the gymnastics icon displayed a remarkable performance in the Pacific Rim Championships, where she won gold on the vault and floor exercises and bronze on the balance beam.

In August, Jordan Chiles participated in the National Championship, clinching silver on the vaults behind the legend Simone Biles. She finished 11th on the all-around and 10th on uneven bars. Unfortunately, Chiles this time didn’t make it to the senior national team, yet she received media recognition for her Wonder Woman-inspired leotard. Interestingly, the Olympian has a great fondness for Wonder Woman or superhero-related things.

2019:

Chile made a notable change in 2019 when she moved from Naydenov Gymnastics in Vancouver to the World Champions Centre in Spring, Texas. She changed her gym to Simone Biles’ in Sprint to work alongside her. Jordan was later expected to participate in the American Classic, but she retreated. Later in the same year, in July, the young champion joined the fray at the US Classic, where she managed to finish in the 11th position in all-around, 12th on balance beam, and 8th and 16th on uneven bars and floor exercises, respectively.

Again in August 2019, Jordan enrolled in the US National Championship, finishing 6th in all-around, 7th in floor and uneven bar, and 12th on balance beam. The gymnast managed to clinch her position on the national team. Later in September, she competed in the 2019 World Team Selection Camp, securing 11th place in floor exercises and falling on her Amanar vault. She was not selected for the World Championship team.

2020:

The year 2020 brought the world to a standstill due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Jordan Chiles couldn’t participate during the pandemic in any competition.

2021:

In 2021, Jordan Chiles participated in the Winter Cup in February, clinching the first-ever women’s all-around Winter Cup champion title. She was placed first on both the vault and floor, second on the balance beam, and fourth on the uneven bars. Chiles participated in the US Classics in May, securing second place in the uneven bars and floor exercises, second place in the all-around behind gymnast goat Simone, and fourth place in the balance beam.

Later in the year, her performance at the US National Gymnastics Championship gave her third place in all-around behind her teammates Simone Biles and Suni Lee. She was also selected for the Olympic team.

Olympic and Post-Olympic Career (2021-2024)

2021 Tokyo Olympics

Jordan Chiles competed at the Tokyo Olympics, clinching a silver medal for the team. Although the gymnast was not qualified for the individual events, she filled in for Simone after her withdrawal on uneven bars and balance beam, bagging silver. It was the Tokyo season where Jordan Chiles rose to prominent fame after Simone Biles’s withdrawal sent shockwaves to the American supporters.

2022:

After the Tokyo season, Chiles participated in the National Championships in August. She was placed third in all-around. Later in September, the Olympian participated in the Paris World Challenge Cup, where she bagged a gold in floor exercises and a silver in vault behind Jade Carey. Jordan was placed fifth on the uneven bars. In October, the 23-year-old champion vied for the World Championship. Her skills and resilience made the team clinch gold, and she bagged two silvers for vault and floor individually.

2023:

In late 2023, Jordan was named to the team competing in the Pan American Games with team members Kayla DiCello, Kaliya Lincoln, Zoe Miller, and Tiana Sumanasekera. Her triumphs included gold for the team, bronze in all-around, and silver in the vault.

2024:

As of 2024, Jordan Chiles had already had a stellar start with Core Hydration Classic, where she was placed third in all-around, behind Biles and Jones. The medalist competed further in the National Championship, finishing fifth in all-around and second in uneven bars, which ultimately led to her qualification for the Olympic trails.

Jordan Chiles qualified for the Summer Olympic Trails 2024, securing third in all-around, uneven bars, and floor and second in vault. She will be seen at the coming Paris Olympics alongside Simone Biles, Jade Carey, Sunisa Lee, and Hezly Rivera. What do you think of her journey? Share your thoughts in the comments below!