Two-time Olympian Jordan Chiles is returning to elite gymnastics with the hope of competing at the Los Angeles Games in two years. Chiles, 25, announced her return in a video posted Wednesday morning to YouTube and her social media channels and narrated by NBA great Michael Jordan, for whom she is named.
"I've learned that there's no timeline for when you're supposed to be done dreaming. LA28 has always been somewhere in the back of my mind, but I needed to take the time to figure out what coming back would mean for me and, more importantly, why I wanted to do it," Chiles said in a statement to ESPN. "LA28 isn't about proving anything to anyone. It's about betting on myself one more time, enjoying the journey and seeing just how far I can take this. I still love this sport, I still have more to give and getting the chance to potentially do that in L.A., the city I now call home, makes it even more special. I'm excited to see what's possible when I bet on myself one more time."
With her announcement, four of the five members of the 2024 U.S. Olympics gymnastics team -- Suni Lee, Jade Carey, Hezly Rivera and Chiles -- are back in the sport. Only seven-time Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles has yet to announce her plans for LA28.
"Why again?" [Michael] Jordan asks in the 50-second video. "Because the dream is still there. Why continue? Because there is still more to give. Why now? Because not every chapter ends when people expect it to ... Some decisions don't need permission, just one more bet on herself. So, when the world asks why she's back for a third time, the answer's simple."
"Why not?" Chiles, 25, replies.
It's been quite a week for Chiles. On Monday, she announced she will return to UCLA for the 2027 season as a student coach for the Bruins. On Tuesday, tennis great Serena Williams posted a video training in Chiles' signature asymmetrical Nike leotard to Beyoncé's "Run the World (Girls)." And on Wednesday, Chiles announced her bid to make a third Olympic team.
