After the third time she wasn't named to the U.S. women's team for the world gymnastics championships, Jordan Chiles began to doubt she'd ever add that distinction to her resume.
Chiles missed out on the 2017, 2018 and 2019 world competitions but earned a spot on the 2020 Olympic team by compiling the third-best score at the U.S. trials. She expected to take part in two events in the team competition in Tokyo but was summoned for all four events after superstar Simone Biles shockingly withdrew because of mental health concerns. Unlike her teammates, Chiles didn't have world championship experience to rely on when she stepped in.
"They know the big stage. They know the crowds and everything like that," Chiles said. "I was thinking, 'I'm on the biggest stage in the world. This is crazy.'"
