Jordan Chiles Talks About Her Feelings After Losing Bronze At Paris Olympics 2024

US gymnast Jordan Chiles opens up about her emotional feelings after losing the bronze medal she claimed at the Paris Olympics 2024.

“It’s About My Skin Color”

“The biggest thing that was taken from me was, it was the recognition of who I was. Not just my sport, but the person I am,” Chiles stated at the Forbes Power Women’s Summit, reported by The Guardian.

Chiles won bronze in the floor exercise at the Olympics but after an appeal moved from fifth to third place. However, the Romanian Olympic Committee stated that the appeal was filed after 4 seconds of the one-minute time limit. The IOC then asked Chiles to return the medal and placed Romania’s Ana Barbosu in third place while Chiles was back in fifth. She received major abuse over social media including racism.

“It’s not about the medal. It’s about my skin color. It’s about the fact there were things that have led up to this position of being an athlete. And I felt like everything has been stripped. I felt like when I was back in 2018 where I did lose the love of the sport, I lost it again,” Chiles said.

USA Gymnastics submitted evidence, showing Chiles’ appeal was within the time limit. However, Cas dismissed the appeal and said the decision could not be altered “even when conclusive new evidence is presented”.

Chiles Talks About Her Emotional State 

“I followed the rules. My coach followed the rules. We did everything that was totally, completely right,” Chiles said.

“It’s definitely been really hard to really, truly see all the love and support. Looking out here, seeing everybody, I can feel it now. But at first it was really hard to really take that in, because of how badly my heart was broken,” she said referring to his close ones who supported her.

The controversy took away from a special moment at the medal ceremony as Chiles and Simone Biles knelt to honor Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade, who claimed gold in the event. 

“It’s not over. Because at this rate, it’s not really about the medal. It’s about my peace and my justice,” Chiles added.

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