“Why not just tell your story the right way?”- Jordan Chiles makes her stance clear on publishing her memoir at 23

Paris Olympics gold medalist Jordan Chiles expressed her thoughts on publishing her memoir early in her career despite being just 23. Her memoir, I'm That Girl: Living the Power of My Dreams, was released on March 4, 2025.

Chiles’ memoir delves into various aspects of her life, including her victories, the pain of defeat, her struggles with body image and the constant support from her family and teammates, among other notable subjects.

In her appearance on the 'Good Morning America' show on March 4, Jordan Chiles spoke about her book with former NFL player and current host Michael Strahan, explaining why she decided to release it at the age of 23 despite having so much of her life ahead of her. Chiles explained her decision, saying (0:29 onwards):

“I think it was really to show the world that it took me 23 years to get into this position that I'm in right now - being a two-time Olympian, a world champion, and many more other accolades that are connected to me - and just to show that people can say a lot of things about you and create a story, but why not just tell your story the right way?”

She further expressed her pride now that she had written the book, adding:

“My dad always told me every lesson that I learned would always be in a book one day, and now to know that it's in my hands and that I got to create something that was very dedicated to who I was and just be as important as my life.”

Notably, Jordan Chiles earned her second Olympic medal as part of Team USA’s gold-winning women’s all-around squad at the Paris Olympics, following her silver in Tokyo. However, she faced heartbreak after losing the floor exercise bronze at the quadrennial games.

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Jordan Chiles on how gymnastics has changed in terms of inclusivity & sharing podium with Simone Biles and Rebeca Andrade

Simone Biles (L) and Jordan Chiles (R) of Team United States congratulate Rebeca Andrade (C) at Paris Olympics (Photo- Getty Images)

Jordan Chiles reflected on how the sport has evolved since she began her gymnastics career at the age of six. In a February 2025 interview with Time, she was asked about inclusivity in gymnastics and her podium moment with Rebeca Andrade and Simone Biles in Paris. The American reacted to this, saying:

“The diversity in our sport has obviously changed a lot. Knowing there weren't a lot of women of color when I was younger, and knowing that I can help that - and I've been helping that - is really cool.”

Although Chiles lost her medal after the Romanian Gymnastics Federation's appeal, she shared the significance of the all-Black podium, adding:

“It's [All black podium] always going to be in history books, no matter what, and I really appreciate knowing that I was a part of that. Having two icons, two legends that you looked up to ever since you were younger, and you're on that podium with them, it just makes it more memorable.”

Chiles discussed the topic in the interview, conducted as part of her inclusion among the 13 honorees for the 2025 TIME Women of the Year list.