"Jordan Chiles wasn't even rude" - Fans slam journalist saying latter deserved a better hug at Paris Olympics

Jordan Chiles finished third in the women’s artistic individual all-around with 56.065 points during division two of the qualifiers. Suni Lee finished second, garnering 56.132 points. Simone Biles took the top honors with 59.566 points.

Chiles failed to qualify for the all-around final after finishing third and was pictured embracing Lee after the qualifying round. However, journalist Josina Anderson opined that Jordan Chiles could have done better in congratulating her compatriot. She wrote on X (formerly Twitter):

"Suni Lee deserved a better embrace from Jordan Chiles after edging Chiles for All-Around individuals. I understand it’s a tough pill to swallow after putting on dynamic performances herself."

"I also understand that sometimes all of us need more time to process before putting on a face and acknowledging present circumstances. Still the camera is on, and she has to maintain her usual grace and well-known charisma wherever her results land in the standings," she added.

Fans online seemingly disagreed with Anderson. One fan claimed the gymnast should not be criticized for showing 'valid emotions' having come up the ranks under the 'abusive' reigns of Bela and Martha Karolyi. The Karolyis were accused of psychologically and physically abusing gymnasts. Aly Raisman, Gabby Douglas, and Simone Biles also accused former Team USA doctor Larry Nassar of sexual abuse under their reign.

The fan wrote on X:

"Imagine having an audience of 250k+ and using it to tell an athlete who grew up in the ABUSIVE Karolyi era that she isn’t allowed to show valid emotions. I’m so tired of people expecting these athletes to be actors and show ponies for their comfort."

Another fan said:

"Jordan wasn't even rude. Unreal to expect to be chipper hype woman in service of everyone else during one of the most disappointing moments of her life so far."

Here are a few more reactions from fans online:

"I thought Jordan displayed tremendous sportsmanship, you could see the heartbreak and she still embraced everybody and smiled for team photos," a fan tweeted.

"This take didn't go like you thought it would...this is messed up...you trying to start stuff," a fan noted.

"This is so tacky. It's the Olympics not The Real Housewives. Why would you try to create that kinda narrative?" another fan asked.

"All the quotes are telling you this is a terrible take because it absolutely is. It’s the dang Olympics and she lost out by a menial amount. To criticize her reaction is…. telling," another added.

Jordan Chiles opens up on her struggle with body confidence in her early career as a gymnast

Jordan Chiles at the Olympic Games Paris 2024: Day 2 - Source: Getty

Jordan Chiles claimed she had low self-esteem early on in her gymnastics career, noting that she always thought she was unfit. The gymnast revealed in an interview with Teen Vogue that she developed an unhealthy relationship with food, something that brought a lot of trauma in her life.

She started adding a lot of weight and was warned about eating certain kinds of food since society had started viewing her differently.

"I was traumatized when I was younger. I was getting weighed. I was told I could only eat certain things. There were a lot of things that I was told because I had to ‘look a certain way.’," Chiles told Teen Vogue.

"But as I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized we’re human. Our bodies go through different changes. I’m a woman, so obviously, when it comes to hormonal situations or my cycle, I can’t control that," she added.

However, as she grew in the sport, she became more aware of her body changes and felt more confident. Chiles is learning to become more cautious of the foods she eats, quipping that she still has a lot of ‘cheat days.’

"I feel more confident in myself and I’m able to be the Jordan that I’ve always wanted to be when I first started gymnastics," she said.

Jordan Chiles is in action at the Paris Olympic Games and has qualified for the women's artistic team all-around final scheduled for Tuesday. She has yet to win an individual medal on the Olympic stage and did not qualify for individual events at the Paris Olympic Games.