NBC
Jordan Chiles‘ fight to keep her Olympic bronze is far from over … with the Team USA star breaking down in tears over the controversy — saying the medal is rightfully hers.
The 23-year-old was deeply emotional in an interview with Hoda Kotb on “Today” … revisiting how officials claimed her coach’s appeal was submitted four seconds late, despite footage appearing to show otherwise.
Romanian gymnast Ana Barbosu was reinstated to third place and awarded the bronze medal … and even though four months have passed, the matter is clearly still affecting Chiles.
“Honestly, it’s been really, really hard just to comprehend everything that’s been happening,” Chiles said.
The gymnast — who won a gold medal in the team finals at the Paris Games — emphasized the bronze meant much more than just a medal … as three black women shared the podium.
It also came during one of the roughest times in her life … after her grandfather passed away in 2023.
“It’s definitely been a real hard year and to know that this was the ending of something that I thought was going to be perfect, but as my grandpa would always say … everything happens for a reason,” Chiles said.
“My grandpa has been in tough situations and he’s the toughest person I’ve ever met in a million years. He was able to overcome them. I’ll be able to overcome this.”
Chiles’ attorney did file an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport after the IOC upheld the reversal. The CAS denied their request to reconsider.
However, Chiles filed another appeal in September … with the Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland.
“That bronze medal was given to me in the right way.”