Gymnast Jordan Chiles pleads for her turn to lead Team USA at Pan American Games

First modification: October 16, 2023 – 14:53Last Review: October 16, 2023 – 14:51

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Biles, who continues her legacy this month at the World Cup in Antwerp, was a key figure in Chiles’ career and is an Olympic silver medalist and world championship gold medalist.

In 2018, when her career stalled due to athletic and personal issues, Chiles received an invitation from Biles to move from Washington State (Northwest) to Texas (South) and play at the prestigious Seth Ciel and Laurent train in her home gym on command. Randy.

Three years later, the flamboyant athlete had to take over from her idol and best friend, with Biles withdrawing after her first game in the Tokyo team competition, saying she was not mentally ready to continue.

When Biles’ condition shocked the sports world, Chiles took her place on the uneven bars and balance beam, helping the U.S. win a valuable silver medal.

A veteran of the Team USA program, Chiles, 22, will be a key reference for groups hoping to maintain the United States’ historic dominance of rhythmic gymnastics at the Pan American Games.

“Wonder Woman”

The gymnast was born in Tualatin (Oregon) on April 15, 2001, the youngest of five siblings, since her parents named her in honor of the best basketball player in history, Michael Jordan. She seems to have moved on to sports.

Chiles was very active as a child, doing cartwheels and walking on her hands, suggesting she had a natural talent for gymnastics.

At the age of six, she took her first class, and a few months later she began decorating her room with trophies and medals. In 2014, Biles won the U.S. Classic junior title, the same year Biles won the senior title and made her name known across the country.

At the age of 17, Chiles won a silver medal at the U.S. Championships. At the time, she attracted attention not only because of her talent, which saw her considered a possible successor to Biles, but also because of her vast personality both inside and outside the competition.

She’s so passionate about superheroes that she even wore a “Wonder Woman”-inspired costume at national events and performed her floor moves to the accompaniment of Spider-Man’s music.

“I’ve loved superheroes since I was a kid. I’ve seen just about every superhero movie you can imagine and I love their powers,” she explained. “I’m also a very strong person, so I want to incorporate that into my gymnastics as well.”

Under the wings of Biles

Despite a prosperous career, around 2018, Chiles began to lose motivation for the sport amid a family crisis due to his mother’s legal issues, and ended up serving a year in prison for real estate fraud.

“We lost our house, our car, we lost everything. I almost feel like we lost our lives,” the gymnast explained.

Faced with this situation, Chiles, who trained as the only elite gymnast in her region, accepted Biles’ invitation to move to Texas and become her training partner at the World Championship Center, a gymnasium run by Under the command of Byers. Parents, attracting the best talent in the sport.

With the superstar at his side, Chiles regained his smile and earned a spot alongside him at the Tokyo Olympics.

“When we’re all in the gym, we’re there to do our jobs, but we also have the ability to have fun with it,” she explains.

In 2022, Chiles won his sixth consecutive World Cup in Liverpool with the United States without Biles. She also won two individual silver medals in floor exercise and vault.

Although her main goal is to compete again at the 2024 Paris Olympics, the gymnast hopes to finish first in the competition in Santiago.

“I’m so excited to compete in my first Pan American Games!!!” she said on Instagram after learning of her appointment. “Chile to Chile.”

© 2023 AFP