Simone Biles’ Choices vs. Jordan Chiles’ Journey: A Tale of Sacrifice, Stardom, and NCAA Triumph
In the demanding world of elite gymnastics, few athletes manage to balance academics and international competition. Katelyn Ohashi, who juggled school and gymnastics while based in Dallas, was one such rare example. But for Simone Biles, the traditional route wasn’t feasible. Her father, Ron, warned her that the Texas public school system wouldn’t allow her to miss the number of days required for a spot on the national team. That pivotal moment led Biles to pursue homeschooling—a decision that would pave her way to Olympic greatness, including four gold medals at the Rio 2016 Games.
Meanwhile, Jordan Chiles took a slightly different path. After competing in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and earning a team silver medal, she chose to attend UCLA. Her NCAA journey began in 2022 and quickly turned into a thrilling ride. Chiles lit up the collegiate gymnastics scene during her freshman year, delivering two perfect 10s on floor and one on uneven bars. She consistently posted elite-level performances, with 23 scores of 9.9 or higher.
Her sophomore season in 2023 was nothing short of spectacular. She clinched NCAA individual titles on both uneven bars and floor exercise. At the championships in Fort Worth, she scored a perfect 10 on bars and a near-perfect 9.975 on floor. She also finished second in the all-around with a total of 39.7125—just 0.05 points behind the winner—and led UCLA with 40 event wins, including five perfect 10s. Her career-best all-around score of 39.9 became the second-highest in UCLA history.
Despite the momentum, Chiles made a bold decision after 2023—she put her NCAA career on hold to train for the Paris 2024 Olympics. On March 8, 2023, she officially announced she would be deferring her junior year to train at the World Champions Centre in Texas alongside Simone Biles, under the guidance of Laurent and Cecile Landi.
Fast forward to July 30, 2024, at the Bercy Arena in Paris—Chiles played a key role in helping Team USA secure team gold, joining forces with Biles, Suni Lee, Jade Carey, and Hezly Rivera. However, her journey in Paris wasn’t without drama. On August 5, during the floor final, she initially placed fifth with a score of 13.666. But an inquiry by Coach Landi bumped her score up to 13.766, earning her the bronze medal.
Then came a twist—Romania contested the inquiry, arguing it was filed four seconds late. On August 10, the Court of Arbitration for Sport sided with Romania and stripped Chiles of her bronze, awarding it instead to Ana Barbosu. Chiles described the emotional blow in her memoir I’m That Girl, saying the moment left her devastated. She later escalated her appeal to the Swiss Federal Supreme Court. While that legal battle continued, she returned to UCLA determined and focused.
In 2025, Chiles made her comeback official on August 8, 2024, stating her intention to compete in her final two years of NCAA eligibility. She immediately made her presence felt. At the season opener on January 11—the Sprouts Farmers Market Collegiate Quad—her Prince-themed floor routine scored a 9.975. By March 9, against Stanford, she earned a season-high 39.75 in the all-around and helped lead UCLA to a record-breaking 198.450 team score, which secured the Big Ten title.
That same meet made history as Chiles, Brooklyn Moors, and Ciena Alipio each scored perfect 10s, marking the first time a UCLA trio achieved that in Big Ten competition. Reflecting on her performance, Chiles told ESPN she stepped into the spotlight feeling like a “Rock Star.” She now boasts 11 career perfect 10s in NCAA gymnastics.
Post-Olympics, Chiles has also become a central figure of energy and encouragement for her team. According to teammate Emma Malabuyo, Chiles is involved in nearly every performance, keeping morale and momentum high. By the NCAA semi-finals on April 5, 2025, she had scored a 9.975 on floor and a 9.950 on vault, closing her junior season on a high note. With one more year of eligibility left, fans are eagerly awaiting what Chiles will bring in her final chapter at UCLA in 2026.