With an Olympic gold in the bag, Jordan Chiles is set to make her NCAA return with the Bruins this season. Justifiably, the fans can’t wait to see what new rabbit the 23-year-old manages to pull out of the bag on her comeback. Moreover, with Chiles having a rough few months thanks to her bronze medal drama, some fans even have a few suggestions to ensure she doesn’t fall short of the national trophy as well!
At the 2024 Paris Olympics, Jordan won bronze in the women’s floor exercise final. But just five days after that, she was stripped of her honor by the CAS (Court of Arbitration for Sports) citing that Chiles didn’t follow protocol while raising her inquiry. Despite the heartbreak, she managed to put the ordeal in her rearview mirror, and subsequently announced her intentions to return to competing at the collegiate level again. And this time, her fans are desperate to see Jordan reclaim the NCAA floor exercise title after a gap of two years.
Jordan Chiles’ routine gets grilled by community member
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One gymnastics connoisseur took to X on November 28 to discuss if Chiles’ beam routine (dismount, to be precise) could be revamped. With this thought in mind, the fan requested the information on the Bruins’ beam coach for the season, so that the request could made to them directly. Chiles resorted to the double pike dismount and didn’t even get to reach the final round of the event. Naturally, with her returning to the NCAA scene, some fans are looking for a change in Jordan’s skillset with hopes of better results.
Who is UCLAs beam coach this year and how can we beg them to convince Jordan to ditch that double pike dismount???
— GymFan (@ILoveFantasyGym) November 28, 2024
While Chiles spent the last couple of months on the road with her Team USA colleagues for the Gold Over America Tour, gymnastics fans of the country haven’t forgotten about the ordeal she was put through by the IOC and the CAS over the medal controversy. But in the past few days, Chiles’ mom Gina has let the Olympian’s fans in on how they’re gearing up for Jordan’s collegiate comeback. For reasons not unsurprising, the WCC gymnast’s followers also want to see emphatic results.
However, considering how revered the UCLA women’s gymnastics squad is (40 national team titles), it’s only natural that fans want something truly magical from Jordan Chiles. The Bruins last won the NCAA team title in 2018, and with an Olympic gold medalist in the fold, the expectations are high. But skeptical thoughts also run amok.
Fans want a change, and soon
The Bruins still have some time before the season starts, and fans believe that Chiles will have some time to settle into her role. Jordan herself also noted that competing at the NCAA level is much less demanding than representing the country on the Olympic stage. With that in mind, fans are hopeful for something truly awe-inspiring from her. In fact, some even believe that ditching the Olympic standards could be a welcome move. “I think she kept that dismount because she had Paris in her sights, now that she’s done that, there’s really no incentive to keep it,” opines one fan in her comment. But others are more optimistic.
“Perfect 40 incoming,” one fan brushed aside any skeptical thoughts. For this fan, a setback like the Olympic medal controversy isn’t enough to bog down someone like Jordan Chiles, who has the gymnastics GOAT Simone Biles standing in her corner.
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Others believe that it wouldn’t be too bad an idea for Jordan to take notes from some of the Bruins’ foes to adjust her dismount routine. “All the Utah gymnasts do the easy side dismount. Why can’t we do that?” reads the dumbfounded comment of another fan. But another fan is confident: a change would only bring good results: “I can visualize a perfect double full for her if she lets it happen.” Remembering that Jordan has a stacked trophy cabinet, thanks to her incredible performances at the highest level of the sport, she would surely know what it takes to make adjustments and continue winning. And she’s not against the suggestions either.
The X post came to Chiles’ attention as well, and she hinted that things are brewing behind the curtains already. “Already on it lol,” replied the Olympian, and fans can’t wait to see what she has up her sleeves. So what do you suspect she has planned for the triumphant return? Tell us in the comment section!
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Will Jordan Chiles' new routine be the game-changer UCLA needs for a national title?
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