PARIS, France — Jordan Chiles, who hails from Vancouver, Washington, played a pivotal role in the U.S. bringing home a gold medal at the Paris Olympics in the team competition earlier this week. Along with Simone Biles, Sunisa Lee, Jade Carey and Hezly Rivera, Team USA avenged a second-place finish at the last Olympic Games in Tokyo.
"Honestly it's been a whirlwind. I'm still on cloud nine," Chiles told KING 5's Chris Egan exclusively on Friday. "It's crazy to say I'm an Olympic gold medalist now, so I'm really happy, excited, and can't wait to see where the rest of the week goes."
Chiles was part of that U.S. team in Tokyo that won a silver medal, but she and the "Golden Girls" put on a brilliant performance to garner the gold medal in Paris. Chiles has another opportunity for a gold medal later in the games, when she will compete in the floor routine individual event on Aug. 5.
Overcoming adversity was a central theme for the Olympic gymnastics squad this summer. Biles withdrew from the team final and several of the individual events in Tokyo due to mental health concerns. Lee battled a rare kidney disease that kept her out of competing for a significant amount of time. Chiles spoke about losing multiple family members between Tokyo and Paris.
"I wouldn't be where I am today without them," Chiles told Egan about her family and friends back in the Pacific Northwest who have supported her from the very beginning.
Local fans eager to see Chiles' last competition in Paris will have to wake up early if they want to see it live, as the floor routine final will begin at 5:23 a.m. PT on Monday, Aug. 5.