'These are gold in our eyes' - gymnast Jordan Chiles relishes hard-fought silver medal

Record ID: 1631881

  • Title: 'These are gold in our eyes' - gymnast Jordan Chiles relishes hard-fought silver medal
  • Date: 11th August 2021
  • Summary: UNIVERSAL CITY, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES (AUGUST 11, 2021) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) GYMNAST JORDAN CHILES SAYING: "So after Simone's vault, my coach had told me that I need to put my grips on. And I was just like, no, she's being sarcastic. Like, there's no way. And she was just like, no, like, you need to put your grips on. I was like, OK, so I was putting my grips on. And I was hoping, hoping, hoping deep down that she would be able to do the rest of the competition. But unfortunately she wasn't able to, so I knew at that point I was like, OK, Jordan, this is your time. You need to show why you're here and help the team out, because at that point it was all for the team. No matter what was going to happen, it was a team moment because there was only three of us. So we all just did what we did. Sunni (teammate Sunisa Lee) gave us a little pep talk and was like, guys, we got this, like, just go for it. And we just went through with every single last piece that we had in us and gave it our all."
  • Embargoed: 26th August 2021 00:35
  • Keywords: Jordan Chiles Olympics Simone Biles gymnastics mental health
  • Location: UNIVERSAL CITY, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES/ TOKYO, JAPAN
  • City: UNIVERSAL CITY, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES/ TOKYO, JAPAN
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Gymnastics,Sport,United States
  • Reuters ID: LVA003EPU5ETB
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: After the U.S. women's gymnastics team won silver at the Tokyo Olympics without leader Simone Biles, Jordan Chiles had a message for her good friend as they stood shoulder to shoulder on the podium.
    The team would not be getting used to second place.
    "I looked at Simone and said, 'This is the last time you'll ever see silver around our necks,'" Chiles told Reuters on Wednesday (August 11).
    "And she started laughing because it's true. Yes, we won silver - we didn't just get silver - but we're all so dedicated and so strong. People should understand everything we've gone through to be silver medalists," she said.
    "These are gold in our eyes."
    More than anyone else, Biles' stunning withdraw after a single vault due to mental health concerns and feeling lost in the air impacted the 20-year-old Chiles, who filled in for the four-time gold medalist on uneven bars and balance beam.
    Despite having mere seconds to warm up, Chiles more than delivered for the team, which finished second behind the Russian Olympic Committee in the team event.
    "When I look back, I'm in awe," she said.
    "Putting your feet into somebody's shoes that are that huge, especially hers, it's just like, wow. I didn't think ever in my life I'd be doing that."
    Chiles said she thought her coach was joking when she first told her to prepare for the uneven bars during the event.
    "After Simone's vault, my coach told me that I needed to put my grips on. I though, no, she's just being sarcastic. There's no way," she said.
    Biles came over to explain her situation to the stunned team and the remaining three gymnasts, all first-time Olympians, took a moment to center themselves with deep breaths.
    "I was hoping deep down that she would be able to do the rest of the competition but unfortunately she wasn't able to. So I said, 'Okay Jordan, this is your time. You need to show why you're here and help the team out.'"
    Relegated to the sidelines, Biles took on the role as mentor and super fan.
    "She just cheered her brains out for us," Chiles said.
    "For a lot of us, she's our idol. She's still our idol, so having that moment with her was an amazing thing."
    Chiles said she did not know whether Biles planned to compete at the Paris Games in 2024 but the pair will be part of the upcoming Gold Over America Tour.
    The 35-city tour, which kicks off in Tucson on Sept. 21, is being billed as a "high-octane, fun-filled experience" showcasing their athletic brilliance and inspiring journeys.
    Chiles, who considered walking away from the sport in 2018 and was hampered by bruised ribs in Tokyo, said she will "definitely consider" representing Team USA again in 2024.
    "It's only three years away so if my body and my mind can hold up then hey, you'll see me there."
    (Production: Sandra Stojanovic, Jane Ross)
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