How Olympic Gymnast Suni Lee Combats Self-Doubt

Named after fellow sports great Michael Jordan, Jordan Chiles entered gymnastics at age 6 and quickly advanced through the levels of competition—adding to her trophy shelf along the way. 

Despite her success, the 23-year-old didn’t always feel welcomed. 

“Every single time I went into a competition, I was like, ‘Well, what are they going to say this time?’” Chiles recalled to ELLE in a July 2024 interview. “I was racially attacked. I was always told, ‘You’re not the typical gymnast. You look like a man. You’re too muscular.’” 

After feeling like “gymnastics didn’t want me,” Chiles continued, she considered leaving the sport. Instead, Biles invited her to train at her Texas gym in 2018. 

“I wish I could take that part of my life back,” the athlete from Washington added, “but at the same time, I wouldn’t be the person that I am today if those things hadn’t happened, because they made me stronger, more confident, and helped me understand who I am as a person. But it did take me a while to get the love back. I can tell you that.” 

Fast-forward a few years, they both competed at the 2020 Olympics—where Chiles filled in after Biles withdrew from the team final—and they took home the team silver.

The UCLA gymnast has also gone viral, earning a perfect 10 for her 2023 NCAA Championship performance set to 90s hip-hop and securing a spot at the 2024 Olympics with her Beyoncé-inspired routine.