The countdown is on. In just a few short weeks, all eyes will be on Paris, France, as the world’s greatest athletes converge for the pinnacle of their respective sports—The 2024 Olympic Games. And one of the hottest tickets of the multi week event is women’s gymnastics. Two-time Team USA gymnast Jordan Chiles is certainly one to watch, and EBONY got to chat with the elite gymnast ahead of the games.
“The biggest thing is to just go out there and have fun. Knowing that I’ve done this once before is the easy part—I’m not saying it will be easy—but I’ve been here,” Chiles tells EBONY over Zoom when asked what she’s most looking forward to at the Paris Olympic Games.
“That’s going to make me confident in myself. I’m just going to go out there and do me. I’m not going to doubt myself, I made it to my second Olympics. What more can I do at this point? That’s already big enough in itself. I’m just excited to put myself in a position to show people this is a different Jordan.”
Now 23, the UCLA student and pro athlete makes it clear that she’s not the same woman from four years ago. She’s grown, done the work and is bringing an even better package to the world stage. For her, prepping for such a big meet–again—is all about keeping her mental health intact and making sure she’s putting the right things in her body.
“It’s been crazy, I will tell you that. Since coming from trials, it’s been a whirlwind. But we’re here, round two. This is beyond words. Mentally, I’ve been taking it day by day, practice by practice. Nothing more, nothing less, kind of keeping it the same because you don’t won’t to tire yourself out. You want to make sure you’re good. And taking naps! That self-care really comes into play but I also have fun, too. I recently went to a concert with my best friend and hanging out with my family helps as well.”
When it comes to a diet, well, the Danone (OIKOS, Activia, Too Good) athlete shares that isn’t a word that’s in her vocabulary. Yes, she watches what she eats and makes sure she’s getting enough protein to keep her muscles in top shape. But, she’s just like most of us and has found a healthy balance of “treat yourself” and “let me make sure I’m not tapping too much into this big back energy.”
“My schedule is always on the go. So having my Too Good & Co. smoothies with me are key and they make me feel so good going into practice. The word diet always gets me. I don’t like diets, they never work for me. I always feel like I’m not eating enough or I’m eating too much. I just try to get as much protein as possible because we do rely on that as gymnasts. Other than that, I am a sweets person, so I will have a cheat here and there with a cookie or some kind of dessert. My mom mostly does home-cooked meals, but I go out to eat sometimes as a reward for myself.”
As for the energy we can expect from Chiles during the Olympics, buckle up. To know her is to know she loves to dance, she loves being the hype woman for her teammates and you can always expect some Beyoncé in the mix. Those things will definitely remain the same as she lasers in on the fact that she has a job to do—give her all for Team USA and hopefully come out on top in the end.
“Our sport is already so strict so having a light helps put the mood at ease. It’s just my personality. I was silenced at a young age and wasn’t allowed to express a lot of my emotions and personality. So now, I try to do that as much as I can. Whether I dance, get the crowd involved, cry or be that hype woman for my team. But I also know that I have a job to do in the end and contribute my part.”
“Being authentic to myself is something I was just taught,” Chiles adds. “I always think, how can I make a name for myself? How can Jordan Chiles be Jordan Chiles? I’m going to be the same person in and outside the gym. It’s just me being me. Not a lot of people can understand that. Social media can be iffy here and there, but it’s how I feel. And yes, 100-percent, you’re going to get that Beyoncé, that GloRilla, Megan, Chloë, Sza, HER, Ella Mai—whoever it is. I’m bringing all that to Paris. Just because I’m on this big stage—yes, I have a job to do—but I’m going to have fun, too.”