Meet the Parents of Jordan Chiles: The Unseen Heroes Behind the Gymnast's Rise

Gymnast Jordan Chiles’s 2024 Olympic run was filled with triumphs and heartbreaks, but her parents stood by her through it all. The athlete competed in the team and individual events, impressing judges with performances on the uneven bars, vault, and floor routine. Jordan played a pivotal role in securing a gold medal for Team USA, outperforming competitors from Russia and China. In the individual all-around final, Jordan captured the bronze medal with a score that placed her just behind her teammate, Simone Biles.

However, Jordan’s celebration was cut short. Following an August 11 ruling by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the athlete was asked to return the bronze medal she won during the games. The decision came after a committee ruled that Jordan’s adjusted score of 13.766 was inaccurate, per Fox News. Now, the medal will be awarded to Romanian gymnast Ana Bărbosu – who was previously bumped from the podium.

The drama has left a stain on the Summer Games, with netizens slamming the Olympics for the decision. Additionally, Jordan has stepped away from social media to deal with the experience privately. Meanwhile, her parents are by her side, providing support following the controversial year.

Jordan Chiles comes from a loving family and her parents, Timothy and Gina Chiles, have been supporting her dreams since the beginning. Timothy and Gina are pastors at the According to His Word Worship Center in Washington. The couple shares five children – including Jordan who they welcomed in 2011. Gina is also an author of children’s books. In 2020, she wrote and independently published a book titled, Dream Big Little Chick, based on Jordan’s triumphant life

“After trying many different things Little Chick decides that she wants to become a high-flying gymnast and quickly sets her focus on the Animal Olympics,” Gina told NBC Sports. “It was based on Jordan, but I was really thinking of little kids that had their own dream … Especially when things didn’t always seem like it could happen.”

Jordan’s dad, Timothy, has also been a huge supporter of her career. Timothy also came up with the idea to put young Jordan in gymnastics. “My parents could not keep me from cartwheeling down the aisle of any open space or walking on my hands instead of my feet,” Jordan states on her Olympic profile. “People kept asking if I was in gymnastics. I had a lot of energy! So they put me in gym.”

Amid the drama surrounding the 2024 Paris Olympics, Jordan Chiles faced a onslaught of negative comments online. The hate became so intense that Jordan’s mother, Gina, was forced to speak up on her daughter’s behalf. The Chiles family matriarch took to X to slam netizens for spewing racist comments.

“The racist disgusting comments are still happening in 2024,” Gina wrote. “I'm tired of people who say it no longer exists. My daughter is a highly decorated Olympian with the biggest heart and a level of sportsmanship that is unmatched ... and she's being called disgusting things.”