There’s a calm confidence to Jordan Chiles right now that feels different than past seasons. Not louder. Not flashier. Just settled.
After UCLA Bruins posted a 198.150-195.825 win over Washington on Friday night, Chiles spoke like someone who knows exactly where she is in her career and isn’t rushing any of it. It marked her third straight meet with a perfect 10, but what stood out most wasn’t the score. It was how comfortable she sounded explaining the work and mindset behind it.
“I’m understanding my body,” Chiles said. “I am getting older.”
It wasn’t said as a joke or a shrug. It was said with intention. Chiles admitted she had been “sick for the past two days,” but never framed it as an excuse. Instead, she pointed back to the environment that has carried her through this stretch.
“What really helps me get to this point is really my teammates,” Chiles said. “Understanding that no matter where I’m at or no matter the circumstance, we all have each other’s backs.”
That trust showed up across the lineup. Routine after routine, UCLA looked steady, confident and connected, building toward the highest team floor score in the country this season. Chiles didn’t hesitate to acknowledge it.
“As we should,” she said. “Finally. Took us five weeks.”
While the laughs came easily in the press room, Chiles was also candid about the emotional side of the season and the moments that don’t always show up on meet nights.
“I’ve had some down moments and I’ve had some up moments,” Chiles said. “Crazy to say, you may not think that I have down days because of the energy I get, but no, I do.”
Her approach, though, has shifted. Chiles explained that she no longer feels the need to over-focus on gymnastics itself, choosing instead to prioritize presence and trust in the process.
More: Former LSU star Livvy Dunne reveals her ambitions for the big screen
“I think I’m understanding that gymnastics isn’t something that I have to truly focus on,” she said. “It’s more about the presence and the perfectionism that I have to bring.”
Chiles didn’t shy away from the bigger goals still on the table. A beam 10 remains unfinished business. A perfect 40 is still a target. She also acknowledged the legacy she hopes to chase.
“I want to be where, you know, Trinity (Thomas) was and Kyla (Ross) and all that with those top,” she said. “I want to break the record.”
More: Former LSU gymnastics star turns heads after WWE tryout
UCLA now sits No. 5 in the national rankings, continuing to build momentum as the season moves forward. The Bruins will take that confidence on the road next Saturday when they face the Minnesota Golden Gophers, another test of the consistency that has begun to define this group.
For Chiles, the scores matter. The history matters. But right now, it’s the presence she keeps talking about that’s carrying everything.
