Simone Biles and Jordan Chiles could win the gold medal for best friendship.
The gymnasts, set to compete together for the United States at the 2024 Olympics in Paris, have been at each other’s side through thick and thin ever since they were paired to room together for the world championship team trials in 2018.
In fact, Jordan credits Simone with being a major reason she is still a gymnast. After failing to earn a spot on the Worlds team roster that year, the 23-year-old was ready to throw in the towel and give up on gymnastics altogether.
“’I guess this sport is coming to an end for me because things just aren’t working out for me at all whatsoever,’” Jordan recalled thinking in a conversation with The New York Times. “I just wanted to finish high school and go off to college. But then I had a talk with Simone.”
After that pep talk, Jordan vaulted into a new training plan, joining Simone at her family’s Texas-based World Championship Centre. Little did she know, she would go on to compete in multiple Olympic games.