Jordan Chiles talks Olympics, facing challenges, Invisalign partnership, and more in exclusive interview

Jordan Chiles has elevated to impressive heights in her gymnastics career, and she’s not finished yet. The 23-year-old holds an Olympic silver medal, three World Championship medals including a gold and two silver, and three NCAA Championship medals including two gold and one silver. Chiles recently spoke with FanSided about her experiences in elite and collegiate gymnastics, her most challenging moment, the goal of representing the United States at a second Olympics, a partnership with Invisalign, and more.

We caught up with Chiles between her third-place finish at the 2024 Core Hydration Classic and the 2024 Xfinity U.S. Gymnastics Championships, which will take place from May 30 to June 2. Following the Championships, athletes will be selected to participate in the U.S. Gymnastics Olympic Trials which are scheduled for June 27 to 30. At the Trials, the Olympic team will be selected. The 2024 Summer Olympics will be held from July 26 to August 11. Chiles is aiming to be on that team.

How Jordan Chiles found her confidence, smile, and success

In the women’s team final of the 2020 Olympics, Jordan Chiles was prepared to compete on two apparatuses. She was unexpectedly tasked with competing on all four when Simone Biles withdrew after the first rotation due to having the twisties. Chiles remained composed under pressure and helped the U.S. come home with a silver medal. 

"I think that was the biggest challenging moment I've ever had in my life," Chiles said. “Being able to step into someone's shoes, so big…that was stressful.” She continued, “I was meant to be in that position, and I was meant to be put in a challenge like that for a reason. That's why I was on the team.” Chiles noted that she thanks her teammate and friend, Biles, for that opportunity, and credits her for being a support system. “We were all going to support her as much as she was supporting us.”

The dynamic of a team is important. Chiles is known as an incredibly supportive teammate who hypes up the members of her team. She explained that there are a lot of things teammates can do for each other, like simply getting chalk for each other during a competition. “No matter what we're always going to support each other, whether it's being that person you need to listen, or being that person you need to talk to, or being that person that someone needs to just cry on your shoulder.”

That challenge the team faced during the Olympic team final taught Chiles what she’s capable of. “Now, I've realized when there's things that are thrown at me, I know how to handle them,” she said. “I learned a lot from that experience, and I've just been taking what I learned there and putting it into every other challenge that's been thrown at me.”

After the Olympics in 2021, Chiles began her collegiate gymnastics career at UCLA, where she spent two years before deciding to focus on professional gymnastics. Her experiences in NCAA gymnastics reshaped her approach to the sport. “Competing between collegiate and the pro level definitely has a different perspective,” Chiles explained. Now, she has more fun doing gymnastics, and she feels calmer. “I can go into the gym not feeling too stressed. I can enjoy the time.” Chiles expressed that she has gained confidence.

The schedule for collegiate gymnastics is very different from elite gymnastics, with more frequent competitions. “I was competing every weekend,” Chiles explained. "I found tactics and ways to make my brain be like, okay, this is a weekend here and a weekend there. I'm competing all the time. There's been a lot of things that UCLA brought to me that I've been able to put into pro.”

Chiles has positive energy and a big smile during training and competitions, but she didn’t always like showing her smile. That’s where her partnership with Invisalign came in. “Partnering with Invisalign helped me a lot, considering the fact that I didn't like my smile whatsoever…I was terrified of even smiling in front of people. I'm always in front of people 24/7, whether it's in a picture, a video, in person,” she said.

Considering her hectic career, the ease of using Invisalign appealed to Chiles. “I'm always on the go. What happens if I do this, what happens if I do that? And for them to explain well, no matter where you're at, all you have to do is call your doctor, right?” She pointed out that if you lose a tray or an attachment comes off, all you have to do is call. When she found out how the process works, she knew this was the right move for her. 

Chiles often looks in the mirror and can’t believe her teeth have improved so much. "Now that Invisalign has helped me with that, I smile more," she said. "Having Invisalign with me definitely changed my perspective of what my beauty is supposed to look like." Chiles hopes to show other people that it’s okay to struggle with your smile and that somebody can help you change that. "Something Invisalign showcases is knowing that your smile can be something that you can embrace even more.”

Without World Championship or Olympic experience, Chiles felt like an underdog during the selection process for the 2020 Olympics. "No one was really paying attention to me, so all I had to do was just go out and do my gymnastics, and just have fun with it,” she said. Despite having more accolades to her name this time around, Chiles still values having fun doing her sport and not focusing so much on the attention. “If people are watching, people are watching. If they're not, they're not.” 

Although she has experience now, “I still kind of feel like I'm the underdog in a way, only because we do have so many people coming back.” Olympians Simone Biles, Suni Lee, Jade Carey, and Gabby Douglas also have their sights set on Paris. Six-time World medalist Shilese Jones is at the top of her game. Olympic alternates and World champions Kayla DiCello and Leanne Wong are in the mix. Plus, there are young gymnasts with less experience also seeking their shot. 

Only five women will be on the team that goes to Paris. Despite the stacked pool of talent, Chiles is confident in her abilities and her success. “I think now I've just been able to realize those titles that I have connected to me now aren't going to go anywhere,” she said.

Even though Chiles is focused on her goal of making a second Olympic team, she took a moment to share what her plans are for after the Olympics. “We do have the Gold Over America Tour coming up after the Olympics, and we'll see after that,” she said. She revealed that she already has vacations planned. But right now, her main focus is competing. 

Chiles is ready to take on a huge summer and leave everything out on the floor. “As long as I push and keep doing what I'm doing, then hopefully, I will be put on that team," Chiles said. "And if I’m not, I'm not. I'm just always going to be proud of what I've done.”