"Never want to do that again" - Jordan Chiles gets real about stepping into Simone Biles shoes and opens about lesson on dealing with mental health

Jordan Chiles shared that she doesn't want to repeat what she did at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, stepping into the most decorated Simone Biles' shoes when the latter withdrew due to 'twisties'. Chiles was part of the silver-winning team in Tokyo and contributes scores to the gold-winning US women's team at the 2024 Paris Games.

Jordan Chiles has been part of the National team since 2013, when she made her elite debut at the American Classic. The following year, she made her first international appearance at the City of Jesolo Trophy and made her senior debut at the 2017 American Classic. Continuing her momentum, Chiles finished third behind Simone Biles and Suni Lee at the US Olympic trials in 2021, qualifying for her first Games in Tokyo.

Although her campaign started well, she got a hard blow when her compatriot and the most decorated Biles withdrew midway through the competition due to 'twisties'. During the team competition, she replaced the latter on the uneven bars and balance beam, despite not being prepared for either of them. She performed and helped her team win silver that night.

At a Create and Cultivate event, Chiles talked about how challenging it was for her to step up in place of Simone Biles at just 19, during her first Olympics. She seemed unsettled at the thought of taking on such a huge responsibility and firmly vowed never to do it again.

"It was the biggest thing I've ever done in my life and I don't even mean just being at the Tokyo Olympics for the very first time, but stepping into somebody's shoes who is the greatest of all time in our sport. Oh, Chad, I never want to do that again."

She also shared that the experience taught her a lot about herself and turned her into a mental health advocate.

"I learned the reason why I was put on the team. It was challenging. It was something that I was like, okay, I'm 19 years old. What do I need to do? How can I support her? How can I support the team? Beyond that, though, now I'm happy that I can advocate for mental health. I'm happy that I can tell the younger generation and give them the opportunity to say, it's okay to say no at times. Everything will be okay because you know there's a next day. So I learned that throughout the process of stepping into somebody's shoes. For anybody who is dealing with mental health, the biggest thing is make sure you lean on the person that is closest to you. That was the biggest thing I've ever learned."

Jordan Chiles once shared how a sports psychologist helped her in her journey

Jordan Chiles at the 2025 NCAA Women's Gymnastics Championships - Source: Getty

Jordan Chiles wasn’t a stranger to emotional and verbal abuse and even shared that she had an unhealthy relationship with food, which left her traumatized. She was a victim of an abusive coach who called her names because of her body shape and appearance. Now, having established herself as a gymnastics and fashion icon with a vibrant personality, the 24-year-old has opened up about the truth behind her healing journey.

"I was traumatized when I was younger. I was getting weighed. I was told I could only eat certain things. There were a lot of things that I was told because I had to ‘look a certain way.’ But as I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized we’re human. Our bodies go through different changes. I’m a woman, so obviously, when it comes to hormonal situations or my cycle, I can’t control that.”

Jordan Chiles is currently competing at the Dancing With the Stars, where she is paired with professional dancer, Ezra Sosa.

Edited by Agnijeeta Majumder