Jordan Chiles Returns to Gymnastics, Eyes LA 2028 Olympics

Olympic champion Jordan Chiles is lacing up her gymnastics shoes again, and this time she's training for a shot at history on home turf.

The 25-year-old gold medalist announced Wednesday she'll compete for a spot on the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic team. If successful, she'll join an exclusive club of just three other American women who've competed in three Olympic Games.

"Why again? Because the dream is still there," says NBA legend Michael Jordan, who narrates Chiles' announcement video. The basketball icon shares his name with the gymnast, whose parents named her after him.

Chiles helped Team USA win gold in Paris in 2024, competing in all four events during the final. Her energetic Beyoncé-inspired floor routine earned her a bronze medal, her first individual Olympic honor after taking home team silver in Tokyo.

Since Paris, she's been busy outside the gym. Chiles competed on "Dancing with the Stars," wrote a memoir titled "I'm That Girl: Living the Power of my Dreams," and earned a spot on Time Magazine's 100 most influential people in sports list. She also just completed a standout career at UCLA, where she earned 23 All-American honors and scored 19 perfect 10s.

Why This Inspires

Women's gymnastics is no longer a sport dominated by teenage one-hit wonders. Chiles represents a new generation of athletes proving that longevity and experience matter just as much as youth.

She's already the fourth member of the 2024 gold medal team to announce a comeback, joining Suni Lee, Jade Carey, and Hezly Rivera. Even 29-year-old Simone Biles, an 11-time Olympic medalist, hasn't ruled out returning.

Before this new wave, no American female gymnast had competed in three Olympics for 24 years. The last was Dominique Dawes in 2000.

While continuing her elite training, Chiles will also give back to UCLA as a student coach this year. Her coach, Janelle McDonald, praised her "energy, passion, leadership and gymnastics experience" that will benefit the team.

With the 2028 Games less than two years away, Chiles could have coasted on her impressive accomplishments and post-gymnastics opportunities. Instead, she's choosing the harder path: more early mornings, more training, more sacrifice. When asked why she's coming back for a third attempt, her answer captured the spirit that made her a champion: "Why not?"