"I'm so so so proud of her" - Jordan Chiles' mother pens heartfelt message on her daughter being USA flag bearer at Pan American Games
Jordan Chiles is currently a part of the USA women's gymnastics team at the 2023 Pan American Games in Chile, Santiago. Chiles was chosen as the flag bearer for the opening ceremony held on October 20, 2023.
The 22-year-old led 600 USA athletes, including 93 Olympians. The gymnastics events at the 2023 Pan American Games will be held from Saturday, October 21 at the Training Center for Collective Sport in the National Stadium Cluster.
The 2023 Pan American Games is the first edition to have permitted two athletes, one male and one female, as flag bearers. Chiles was joined by skeet shooter Vincent Hancock, who is a three-time Olympic gold medalist.
Chiles' mother, Gina, was filled with pride and took to social media to share a few pictures from the opening ceremony and wrote a heartfelt message. The pictures included Chiles and Hancock walking in the opening ceremony and also included a picture of Chiles with Coach Cecile Landi.
"When I tell you I'm still smiling!! My baby carried the flag for the Opening Ceremony for Team USA tonight," Gina wrote. "I'm so so so proud of her. She did it in Jordan fashion too (see pics)- unapologetically her at all times. Absolutely love this for her," Chiles' mother continued.
Chiles' mother even shared Jordan's pictures on her Instagram story and continued her warm message.
"You are so authentic to who you are unapologetically...this picture says it all...I absolutely love you & am deeply proud of you. Take in it all. You deserve all of it," she wrote.
"I'm not the typical gymnast you see every day," Jordan Chiles as she leads the USA team in Santiago
22-year-old Jordan Chiles is leading the USA women's gymnastics team in Santiago. Chiles bagged a silver medal at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo in the team event. She also secured one gold and two silver medals at the 2022 World Championships in Liverpool, United Kingdom.
But all was not sweet in the gymnast's career, as in 2019, during the World team selection camp, she fell from the vault and during the floor exercise, and missed qualifying for the team.
Before leaving for Santiago, Jordan Chiles shared a heartfelt message about her journey and about all the obstacles she has been through.
"I don't look like anybody else. I'm not the typical gymnast you see every day," she said. "And just knowing that as a gymnast not everything is gonna be perfect. It's okay if you fail," continued Chiles.