Under the bright lights of the NCAA postseason, Jordan Chiles brought the crowd to their feet— not once, but thrice— with a trio of perfect tens that shimmered like gold in her already sparkling career. She flew, twisted, and landed with such elegance that she walked away with the NCAA uneven bars title, capping off a season that felt like a coronation. Yet even with her stunning performance, the UCLA Bruins fell just short of claiming the team title, losing to the powerhouse Oklahoma Sooners. But Jordan, now heading into her senior year, isn’t deterred. She’s more determined than ever.

But while her NCAA journey marches on, there’s another rhythm beating in the background of her heart — the call of elite gymnastics. It’s a rhythm she knows well, one she danced to in Tokyo and again in Paris, where she helped Team USA secure Olympic glory. That Olympic dream hasn’t faded. “It’s [LA 2028 Olympics] on my mind,” Jordan confessed. “It’s not completely out of my head. I still think about it.” For Jordan, that dream is deeply personal — LA is her hometown. A third Olympic appearance, this time in front of friends, family, and the very city that shaped her, would be more than history; it would be homecoming.

However, the road back to elite gymnastics isn’t paved solely with nostalgia and ambition. It’s also filled with setbacks. After the high of the Paris Olympics, Jordan Chiles attempted a return to elite competition this year. Fans waited eagerly for her name to appear on the roster for the Artistic Pan American Championships — the first major international test of the new cycle. But when the list dropped, Jordan’s name was missing.

Team USA’s women’s roster instead featured fresh faces and rising stars: Dulcy Caylor, who impressed with a sixth-place all-around finish at the 2025 Jesolo Trophy; Jayla Hang, the silver medalist from this year’s Winter Cup; Gabrielle Hardy, who topped the podium at the 2024 Combs la Ville International Tournament; and Hezly Rivera, the only gymnast from the Paris gold-winning squad to make the cut. Alongside them: Tiana Sumanasekera, once an alternate in Paris, now taking center stage, and Alessia Rosa, a 16-year-old phenom from East Hanover, joining as a traveling replacement in what could be her international debut. It’s a team of promise, youth, and transformation, not legacy. Not yet.

And in a twist of déjà vu, the American men’s roster tells a similar story. Of the Olympic bronze medal-winning team, only Asher Hong is returning to compete at Pan Ams. The message? A new cycle is beginning, and the torch is being tested in new hands.

Additionally, this year’s Artistic Pan American Championships hold higher stakes than usual. Last year, Team USA didn’t send a women’s team at all — for reasons still unknown. But rewind to 2023, and the story was much different. That year, the Americans swept the contest with dazzling dominance, and at the heart of that triumph was none other than Jordan Chiles.

Jordan Chiles won it for Team USA 

Two years ago, under the vibrant skies of Santiago, Chile, Jordan Chiles did what she’s done so many times before — rise to the occasion. It was October 22, and the Pan American Games women’s gymnastics team final had the eyes of the continent watching. The pressure? Immense. The expectations? Sky high. But with her signature poise and power, Chiles led Team USA to its sixth consecutive Pan Am team title, putting up a dominant overall score of 165.196 — nearly four full points ahead of Brazil (161.564). Canada trailed behind for bronze at 154.230. Jordan wasn’t just part of the machine — she was the engine.

In the qualifying round, the Olympian soared to the top of the all-around leaderboard with a total score of 54.666. She posted the highest American vault score with a 14.099 and backed it up with a 14.100 on uneven bars — second-best among her teammates — earning her spots in multiple event finals. The crowd, the energy, the stakes — none of it shook her. If anything, it fueled her.

Then came the all-around final on October 23. Chiles fought through a fiercely competitive field, landing on the podium once again — this time for all-around bronze with a score of 53.999. Just seven-tenths separated her from the top spot, claimed by her teammate Kayla DiCello (54.699), with Brazil’s Flavia Saraiva slotting in between at 54.565. Jordan didn’t walk away empty-handed: she posted the meet’s highest score on vault (14.300) and claimed the second-best scores on balance beam (13.466) and floor exercise (13.533). It was a complete performance, showcasing her consistency and versatility. But Jordan Chiles wasn’t done yet.

On October 24, she returned for her final two event finals: vault and uneven bars. On vault, she exploded off the table with a double-twisting Yurchenko that earned her a 14.400 (including a 9.400 execution score), then added a Lopez for 13.900. Her combined average of 14.150 earned her a well-deserved silver, second only to Brazilian superstar Rebeca Andrade, who delivered a Cheng and DTY masterclass with an astounding 14.983 average. Even with a legend in the mix, Chiles stood her ground.

Uneven bars, the final act, didn’t go her way. A score of 12.400 landed her in seventh, but by then, she had already left her mark on the competition. Over three days, Jordan Chiles walked away with team gold, all-around bronze, vault silver, and the hearts of fans across the Americas. More than medals, it was a reminder of who she is: a fighter, a leader, a gymnast who brings her full fire to every floor she touches.