PARIS — She hasn’t even saluted for her first Olympic routine in Bercy Arena, but Jordan Chiles already has something better than a gold medal.
Beyoncé’s platinum record.
Eleven days before Chiles was set to compete in her second Olympic Games, Beyoncé sent a signed copy of her album “Cowboy Carter” to the 23-year-old whose floor routine is set to a compilation of the superstar’s songs. Posting a photo of the gift on Instagram, Chiles was stunned.
“Congrats to you Queen,” the note written in silver ink read. “I always watch you with pride and admiration! Thank you for repping us.”
Chiles is representing Queen Bey’s music on the biggest sports stage as she competes in her second Olympic Games beginning Sunday at Bercy Arena. The UCLA star who won two individual NCAA championships will be a key factor in the United States’ hope to regain the gold medal after taking silver in Tokyo.
But her 90-second ode to Beyoncé is good for more than just winning medals. It also puts Chiles at the forefront of an overdue renaissance in elite gymnastics.
“She’s there to change the game,” said UCLA assistant coach BJ Das, who choreographed Chiles’ floor routine. “She’s there to make an impact and she’s there to empower other gymnasts to just be themselves.”
The “artistic” portion of artistic gymnastics historically favored classical floor music with balletic dance. But Chiles unabashedly gravitated toward Beyoncé’s “Renaissance” album to inspire not only her floor routine, but her entire Paris pursuit. The Vancouver, Wash., native turned Beyoncé’s song “I’m that girl” into her own personal motto. She designed custom leotards inspired by Beyoncé’s costumes.
After spending most of her elite career as one of the few women of color in a predominantly white sport, Chiles found strength in another Black woman’s power.
“If she’s a queen,” Chiles said, “I’m a queen.”
Das and Chiles incorporated Beyoncé’s iconic dance moves into the choreography. She flashes Beyoncé’s “Renaissance” pose after her second tumbling pass by holding both hands above her head with her wrists crossed and fingers splayed wide. Das loves when Chiles sets up her first tumbling pass by dramatically raising one fist. More than the actual movement, Das relishes the confidence Chiles shows in that moment.
Consulting with her friends who are also part of the BeyHive to identify the best dance moves to include, Das wanted to ensure the routine stayed true to Beyoncé’s performance. Making it fit the elite gymnastics mold was secondary.
“I knew Jordan’s gymnastics and her performance ability would speak for itself,” Das said. “And if you couldn’t see the artistry in that, then maybe you need to open up your mind a little.”
The Yurchenko double pike has become Simone Biles’ signature move in the vault, a gravity-defying, six-second burst that has added to her legend.
The FIG code of points instructs judges that “in addition to the technical execution” during floor routines, “artistic harmony and feminine grace must also be considered.”
The subjective nature of the sport rooted in gender stereotypes makes every season’s floor routine an exercise in balancing self-expression and a judge’s impression. Chiles scored perfect 10s, won the NCAA title and went viral with a 90’s-inspired hip-hop routine at UCLA in 2023, but when she wanted to incorporate the set into her national team performance, she was told it wasn’t “USA-like,” Chiles told the Associated Press.
Das believes she and Chiles could have “elite-ified” the routine if given the chance. Jazz- or funk-inspired choreography accepted in a looser collegiate code of points could easily be modified to still please international judges. Das acknowledged that true old-school hip-hop could have made officials “afraid that [it] might not be seen as artistic.”
Chiles’ Beyoncé routine feels like a perfect blend of UCLA’s joyful collegiate style and the precision of elite gymnastics. Seeing it accepted and celebrated at the sport’s highest level fills Das with pride for the impact Chiles can leave on gymnastics.
“The sport should be inclusive,” Das said. “It should be open to everyone’s own artistry … I think this is a really pivotal moment for Jordan to see that she can be truly herself on the gymnastics mat and still be rewarded for that. Her making the Olympic team was huge, a huge moment and she got to do it her way this time.”
Six years ago, Chiles nearly quit gymnastics. She had been passed up for the world championship team three consecutive times. She believed the sport didn’t want her. But when Chiles hit her ending pose at Olympic trials — one arm draped over her head and the other extended out to the side — she knew she had locked up a spot on the Olympic team. She blinked back tears.
“Beyoncé,” she said after, “is going to Paris.”
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