Jordan Chiles and the Paris Olympics were a mixed bag. Initially, things kicked off on a perfect note as Chiles and Co. reclaimed the team gold for the USA. However, it was her individual floor routine that pretty much soured the Olympic experience for the 23-year-old. Competing in the floor finals, Chiles got a score that Cecile Landi thought could be revised. Thus, she submitted an inquiry to the judges. And sure enough, Chiles got her score to go up. 

This was a game-changing moment as the updated score thwarted Ana Barbosu from third place. Instead, it was Chiles’ time to shine with an Olympic bronze. But the Romanian team was not going to sit back idle. They took things to the Court of Arbitration, where it was found that Landi’s inquiry was late. In a shocking statement issued, Chiles was asked to give back her Olympic medal, which caused significant mental trauma for the young gymnast. 

However, after shutting her out initially, Chiles has slowly learned to move on. And with her latest announcement of coming back to the UCLA Bruins, the 2x Olympian seems to be gearing up for an exciting season. Recently, UCLA Bruins head coach, Janelle McDonald, shed some light on how she felt Chiles was doing at the moment. Speaking on the ‘All Things Gymnastics’ podcast, McDonald pointed out how Chiles looked ‘raw’ in her recent ‘Today Show’ appearance. 

She also opined that this is a testament to the roller coaster of emotions that Chiles has been experiencing since the Olympics ended. But she also had advice for the young gymnast. McDonald stated, “The thing that’s really cool is she was literally such a bright, shining light of these Olympic Games. For me, that was my advice to her: just remember those moments and the impact you had there. Hopefully, all of this gets settled in a positive way. I really think it’s been a roller coaster for her, but we’re very excited to have her back.” McDonald also mentioned how Chiles coming back to familiar territory will boost her confidence and help her feel much better than before. 

The UCLA head coach also reflected on how Chiles following a set pattern at UCLA will help her with consistency and composure. After all, Chiles has been on an ‘adventure’ since Paris, according to McDonald. She also praised the aura of Chiles and the jolly vibe she carried around with her. Acknowledging Chiles’ incredible gymnastics skills, McDonald could not contain her excitement about watching her take center stage. However, amidst all the feel-good moments, Jordan Chiles has not forgotten what she had to go through. Thus, she decided to spill some truths in her latest memoir.

Jordan Chiles to spill some Olympic secrets in recent memoir

It is no secret what went down in Paris. However, we only know how things followed a harrowing pattern for Jordan Chiles. We saw how Chiles locked her up initially before going out into the public. But what we do not know is the exact feeling that Jordan Chiles had during this dark phase. Finally, the wait seems to be over. Chiles recently announced the publishing of her memoir, ‘I’m That Girl’. While the memoir is expected to contain details about her gymnastics journey, there is also a shocking part to it. 

As per the 23-year-old’s recent announcement, the memoir will contain her honest take on whatever went down in Paris. In fact, it is also expected to answer some popularly asked fan questions about the bronze medal debacle. Apart from the controversial angle, the memoir also sheds light on the psychological and physically demanding aspects of the sport. 

Chiles is also expected to detail her experience regarding the racism she faced along with her eating disorders. Thus, with the Olympic controversy still very much in the limelight, it remains to be seen how Jordan Chiles can find a way to move on from the tragedy in the days to come.