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Jordan Chiles Makes Painful Admission About Gymnastics Journey

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Madz Dizon | Last updated Feb 27, 2025 6:30 AM ET

Olympic gymnast Jordan Chiles opened up about the painful realities she faced throughout her career, including the emotional toll of verbal abuse from a former coach.

In her memoir “I'm That Girl: Living the Power of My Dreams,” Chiles shared her struggles with mental health, body image and an unhealthy relationship with food. She also revealed how dark moments led her to question her own life.

“I wanted to get it off my chest," Chiles told PEOPLE.

"I wanted to let people know that I had really, really down times. I've been in the dark, I've been in the deepest part of the ocean," she continued.

Chiles, who helped Team USA win gold at the Paris Olympics, recalled training under a coach referred to in her book as "Coach X."

According to Chiles, the coach frequently criticized her weight, eating habits and performance while battling alcoholism.

Trying to cope, Chiles said she began restricting her food intake to appease her coach but later resorted to binge eating in secret. Though never diagnosed with an eating disorder, she acknowledged the harm this caused.

"It took me a while to understand that eating is healthy for my body," she admitted. "I’m moving past the trauma."

After parting ways with Coach X, Chiles' best friend, Simone Biles, encouraged her to train at the World Championships Centre in Texas under Cecile and Laurent Landi. The move, Chiles said, was life-changing.

"They’re like second parents to me," she said. "They support me as both an athlete and a person. They believed in me even on rough days."

As for the 2028 Olympics, Chiles is undecided.

"It’s not a no and it’s not a yes. I’m taking it year by year, month by month." she told E! Online at the TIME Women of the Year Gala.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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