Jordan Chiles says learning to be her authentic self has helped her reach her dreams, including winning a gold medal at the Paris Olympics. Lolita Lopez reports for the NBC4 News at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, July 30, 2024.
Long before Jordan Chiles earned a gold medal Tuesday as a member of the U.S. women’s gymnastics team at the Paris Olympics, the UCLA alumna and Los Angeles resident learned being her authentic self will help her reach her dreams.
Her bubbly personality was hard to miss that even Beyonce and another Olympic gold medalist Michael Jordan, whom the gymnast was named after, reached out to Chiles with their best wishes before the 2024 Olympics.
As her caring and compassionate side comes second nature to the two-time Olympian, Chiles stepped into the spotlight at the Tokyo Games when her training partner, friend and fellow gymnast, Simone Biles, stepped off the mat to focus on her mental health during the Tokyo Olympics.
“Being able to see her go through what she was going through made me realize she is, yes, the greatest of all time in our sport but also still goes through what everybody else goes through,” Chiles observed.
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Working side by side with Biles, one of the greatest athletes in the world, has also encouraged Chiles to be open and honest about who she is.
“My personality is very outgoing and spunky,” Chiles explained. “As I've gotten older, I kind of just embraced it because when I was younger, people always just thought it's a little annoying. But why should I dim myself when I can just brighten up everything?”
Being Jordan Chiles also means being passionate about her causes and participating in charity work, including projects with Girl Scouts and hospitals.
“Recently, my aunt passed away due to cancer, so I want to figure out how I can help with a lot of cancer patients or just be able to always let them know there's always going to be someone with them no matter what,” she explained.
Chiles is a proud Angeleno as the city of Los Angeles welcomes anyone with a big personality like hers.
“I’ve been an LA girl ever since I was little. UCLA was my dream school, so being able to accomplish everything that I’ve done with them, it’s just a cherry on top.”
Jordan stepped away from collegiate competition in 2023 to focus on making the summer games in Paris, and it paid off. Jordan earned a spot on Team USA, with her UCLA coach watching from the stands at the Olympic trials in June.
“I love her. She enjoys my gymnastics. She always tells me, ‘I just enjoy watching you so much, you have fun with everything,’” Chiles said.
As Chiles takes in every moment, including the time on the Paris Olympics podium where a gold medal was placed around her neck, she puts her hands together as her hand tattoo reads ‘pray.’
“I always bring it back to my quote, always believe in the power of your dreams.”
