Imagine waking up every day to the harsh echo of your own voice calling you “ugly.” For Jordan Chiles, this was a reality she faced during some of the toughest years of her life. The Olympian, who now shines as a gold medalist and cover star for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit 2025, once struggled with painful body shaming and self-doubt that stemmed from harsh criticism about her natural hair and athletic build. The very qualities that made her strong were the ones that left her feeling invisible, inadequate, and unloved by the world around her. But Jordan refused to let the world’s narrow view of beauty control her destiny.

But rather than letting those toxic voices define her, Chiles took her pain and transformed it into power. “I’ve embraced every single aspect of who I am,” she says in the exclusive interview with People, proudly owning her body, story, and truth. Over the years, she’s gone from hiding in the shadows of self-criticism to standing confidently in the spotlight, adorned with over 20 tattoos, each a symbol of her journey.

This journey of self-acceptance wasn’t just about physical strength; it was about reclaiming her mind and heart from the expectations that tried to shape her into something she wasn’t. And through it all, she had her support system by her side, which has been the constant anchor in her life. Seeing herself on the cover of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit as one of the four cover stars this year was nothing short of a triumph for Jordan Chiles.

And of course, it was a slap in the face to those who once called her “ugly.” But SI wasn’t just about the recognition—it was a moment of personal healing, one that meant the world to both her and her mom, Gina Chiles. After all the struggles Jordan faced—body shaming, rac**t comments, and even abuse from a former coach—it was this moment that showed just how far she’d come.

“I think it was just really cool for her to know that I get this opportunity and that I get the ability to embrace who Jordan is,” Jordan says on how meaningful it was to share that victory with her mother, who had always been there through every tear-filled struggle. As a young gymnast, she battled body shaming and hateful comments that left her feeling unworthy.

“I would look at myself in the mirror and call myself ugly almost every day,” she admits. In those moments of weakness, her mother was there and lifted her through all the tears that she shed. The abuse, the mental health, even the suicidal thoughts — Jordan struggled through it all, and now, she is strutting in the spotlight, more powerful than she’s ever been. However, she is strong now; she had wondered whether she could be a gymnast. What? Yes!

Jordan Chiles’ battle with impostor syndrome

Jordan Chiles has been very vocal about her impostor syndrome issues, with an emphasis on the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, when she felt pressure despite her talents. Even though she contributed much to the success of Team USA, winning a team silver medal in the women’s gymnastics team competition, Chiles confessed that she did not feel like she had a right to be on that stage initially.

“I would look at myself and feel like I wasn’t good enough,” she confessed. In an interview with Sports Illustrated, Chiles opened up about how impostor syndrome is especially prevalent in gymnastics, a sport where perfection is relentlessly expected. “As gymnasts, we have more of an impostor syndrome than a lot of people just in the real world, being the pro side,” she explained.

Her Tokyo experience, while a milestone, was also marked by these internal battles. Beyond performance, Chiles also faced the societal pressures placed on women in sports. “We face so much criticism not just about how we perform, but how we look, how we act,” she told PopSugar, shedding light on the extra mental strain that athletes often endure.

Nevertheless, the transformation that Jordan Chiles’ journey from self-doubt to self-acceptance has been nothing short of transformative. From the Tokyo games to the Paris Olympics, she learned to love even her downfalls. Nowadays, she is a strong self-love advocate, especially for the young girls who might be under the same pressure to conform.