Jordan Chiles's Score Changed Earned Her a Bronze Medal for Her Floor Routine

U.S. gymnast Jordan Chiles received a bronze medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics for her floor routine, but the win was snatched from Romania's Ana Barbosu after a last-minute score change. Though Jordan was initially placed in fifth place after her floor routine performance, her score was changed, resulting in her leaping up two places in the final standings.

It's a win that had Jordan screaming and crying with joy, while the Romanian gymnast who was knocked out of the podium was left in tears at her unexpected loss. But why did Jordan's score change?

Though Jordan's routine initially only scored her fifth place, her coach asked the judges to conduct a review of her score, arguing that the Tour Jete Full in her routine wasn't properly scored. After Jordan's routine was reevaluated, the judges ruled that they had not appropriately scored her routine, pushing her difficulty score up and securing her a bronze medal.

Asking for a review of a score in gymnastics is a risky move, especially because it often results in the gymnast's score being lowered. But in Jordan's case, it gave her a 0.1 boost that pushed her onto the podium, taking home the bronze medal for the U.S. and resulting in the first all-Black women's gymnastics podium.

"They had told me when they [filed the inquiry] and I was like, 'OK let's see what they come back with,'" Jordan said, per NBC Chicago. "I honestly didn't expect this like whatsoever."

Of course, the final result pulled in some mixed reactions online, but ultimately Jordan is pleased with her final placing and has a message for everyone critiquing her for letting the judges ask for a review of the score.

"it’s funny how people can still never be happy for someone…" she tweeted.