Well, we all know Jordan Chiles. Someone who totally made her mark in Olympic history, winning that gold medal with Team USA at the 2024 Paris Olympics. But honestly, her journey is so much more than just what happens on the gymnastics mat. At 24, she’s become this really strong voice for body positivity and mental health—a mission that just hit a huge milestone with her absolutely stunning first appearance in the 2025 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.
Jordan isn’t just an athlete anymore; she’s become an inspiring figure, encouraging tons of fans to just be themselves, authentically. But underneath that bright, happy smile she shows the world, there’s a story of some real struggles that actually make her success even more meaningful.
On May 13th, 2025, Gina Chiles, Jordan’s mom, went on X and shared just how incredibly proud she was. She wrote, “Seeing you go from tears of hurt and sadness to tears of joy has been a journey. I’m so proud of you Chick!” Her words, which were clearly a reaction to the announcement of Jordan’s SI Swimsuit cover, really show the depth of a mother’s love and just how emotional it must have been to watch her daughter work through years of doubting herself.
Seeing you go from tears of hurt and sadness to tears of joy has been a journey. I’m so proud of you Chick! https://t.co/h9m7bFxXH2
— Gina Chiles (@gina_chiles) May 13, 2025
The pressure of being a gymnast really took a toll on Jordan, leading to some really vulnerable moments. Earlier, she shared something heartbreaking: she used to stand in front of her mirror and call herself “ugly almost every day.” The constant judgment and negativity she faced—whether it was about how she looked or how she performed—honestly pushed her to a breaking point. She’d even cry to her mom, Gina, saying things like, “Mom, they’re saying this. They’re saying that.”
But somehow, even through those dark times, Jordan found a way to push through. Now, she speaks with this amazing confidence, declaring, “I’ve embraced every single aspect of who I am, and I’ve embraced the amazing body that I have.”
As she gets ready to step back onto that mat, carrying all the lessons she’s learned and knowing how proud her mom is, you can’t help but wonder: What amazing thing is this unstoppable force going to do next?
Guess what? Jordan Chiles is now a CorePower Yoga Ambassador!
Alright, so Jordan Chiles, is stepping into a cool new gig that feels just as inspiring as watching her gymnastics—she’s now the official Mental Health Ambassador for CorePower Yoga! They announced it during Mental Health Awareness Month this May 2025, and it just makes sense, right? Jordan’s been really open about how tough elite sports can be mentally.
Just earlier this week, at a CorePower Yoga sculpt class put on by Essence, Jordan actually led a session herself! It was a mix of intense moves and regular yoga poses, everyone was using weights to get stronger and more flexible. During a Q&A afterwards, Jordan shared, “CorePower Yoga is all about strength and stillness, and that speaks to exactly where I’m at in life.” That probably hits home for any athlete who’s felt that constant pressure. The event had some cool stuff too, like Erewhon snacks and Higher Dose Red Light Therapy face masks, and it left everyone feeling refreshed.
Jordan becoming an ambassador feels extra important right now, especially when you consider things like that 2023 Harvard study that found heated yoga seemed to help people—59% of those who did it regularly saw fewer depressive symptoms after just eight weeks of weekly classes. As part of her new role, she’s helping promote CorePower’s 31-Day Mindfulness Journey. It’s a free four-week program you can find on the CorePower App designed to help you work on mindfulness and believing in yourself. Jordan talked about her own experiences, saying, “If your mind isn’t right, your body won’t be either.”
She added, “I’ve learned how important it is to check in with myself, to know when to slow down, and to protect my peace.” She really emphasized how it helps everything come together, saying, “I think the cool part about being able to involve CorePower Yoga is being able to have the mental and the physical strength come together and giving yourself the ability to exude things out of you, whether it’s the anger, the stressness, whether it’s anything that you have to let out.”
For Jordan, it sounds like this is all about figuring out what truly counts as self-care. She shared, “I think the biggest thing was really trying to find what self-care was. As athletes, we always think about others and not ourselves. I also realized that my sport doesn’t define who I am.”
So, what’s next for Jordan as she keeps showing us what real strength looks like? Well, for now she’s in vacay mode.
The post Struggling With Past Self, Jordan Chiles’ “Ugly” Admission Leaves Mother Gina Chiles Emotional appeared first on EssentiallySports.
