From the time she stunned at the Rio Olympics to when she stumbled in Tokyo, Simone Biles‘ biggest hype woman, Jordan Chiles, has stuck with her through thick and thin. The gymnast duo were a part of the same team at the 2021 Olympics when Biles suffered from an episode of Twisties. But through the obstacles, Chiles has considered the Olympic hero to be more than a mentor to her.
In a recent snippet from an interview, Chiles spoke about Biles’ role in her life. From being a GOAT in the industry to inspiring everyone with her tough decisions, the 22-year-old was more than grateful for her being around as a torchbearer.
Chiles starts by talking about their journey and how Biles went from being her mentor to her best friend. Hardships are part and parcel of an athlete’s life. But to see Biles struggle and survive through huge mental obstacles was what inspired the young gymnast the most.
“She is legit the GOAT. Like people will be saying crazy things, and I’m like, do you not understand, as an athlete, what she goes through?”
Having watched each other train close by, Chiles knows the true challenges of the sport and what a gymnast struggles with. When Biles faced criticism for her decision to walk out of the Tokyo Olympics, Chiles slammed haters while empathizing with the GOAT. To date, she credits Biles for transforming her into a successful gymnast.
“I say thank you to her all the time because…if it wasn’t for her, I wouldn’t be where I am right now.”
When Biles stepped out, the young gymnast had big shoes to fill. Jordan Chiles, at that time, was supposed to replace the GOAT on the bars and beams, and with some encouragement and adrenaline, she pushed through the unexpected challenge.
How did the Tokyo Olympics and Simone Biles’ exit change Chiles’ trajectory of life?
The USA gymnastics team always had every member’s back. If one fell, the others swooped down to pick them up. The Tokyo Olympics proved to be an unexpected challenge for the US gymnastics team when their main star, Biles, experienced twisties. But the show must go on, and Chiles immediately jumped into action.
Speaking to Jennifer Hudson in an interview, the young gymnast recalled how nerve-wracking her experience was despite crushing the stage. Not only did she win a silver and make her mentor and best friend proud, but that day changed Chiles’ outlook towards Biles and the hurdles she crossed to get to the top.
