Jordan Chiles is steadfastly focusing on the here and now. Following the heart-wrenching turn of events where the Olympic gymnast was retroactively deprived of her well-deserved bronze medal in the individual floor routine from the 2024 Paris Olympics due to a scoring dispute – with the honor instead bestowed upon Romania's Ana Barbosu – she opened up about her stance on potentially competing in Los Angeles in 2028. "For the moment, I'm still basking in the afterglow of Paris," she revealed exclusively to E! News on the red carpet of the ESPY Awards on July 16. "I'm cherishing every moment we've shared since Paris. I've got one more academic year left at college, and from there, we'll see where the journey takes us."
Jordan, a soon-to-be senior at the University of California, Los Angeles, recently concluded a triumphant run at the NCAA Championships in April, securing her second title on the uneven bars and topping the season's leaderboard in the floor exercise. Yet, at present, the 24-year-old is savoring life beyond the gym mats.
"It's been an absolute blast – discovering new avenues outside our sport to continue living our fullest lives," she enthused in an interview alongside her Team USA teammate, Suni Lee. "We're multifaceted beings, extending far beyond our athletic personas. Our minds are ever-evolving, leaning towards diverse paths, and I'm thoroughly enjoying this phase."
As for Suni, who was diagnosed with a potentially career-ending kidney condition in 2023, she hasn't stepped back into the gym since departing Paris and remains uncertain about her future in the 2028 LA Olympics. "I haven't practiced gymnastics since the Olympics," admitted the 22-year-old to E!. "I'm still grappling with whether I want to return or not. I'm undecided at this point." She continued, "Currently, I'm simply living my life to the fullest."
In spite of the scoring controversy that marred her Paris 2024 experience, Jordan maintains that she views her performance as a bronze medal-worthy endeavor, having previously shared with E!, "I'll always strive and be my best self, for that's inherently who I am."
