Jordan Chiles Secures Bronze After Scoring Change Investigation

It was a stunning ending to the gymnastics events at the Paris Olympics.

PARIS, France — Jordan Chiles was the last competitor during the floor exercise finals on Monday. Initially, it looked like she was going to miss out on a medal. However, her heartbreak turned to jubilation within minutes as she discovered she had won the bronze medal.

Chiles initially received a score of 13.666, placing her in fifth. Yet, her standing changed after she filed an inquiry about the difficulty component of her score. This led to a 0.1 boost, propelling her past Romanians Ana Barbosu and Sabrina Maneca-Voinea, into third place.

Since the 2004 Summer Games, the International Gymnastics Federation has divided scores into two parts: the difficulty score (D-score) and the execution score (E-score). Understanding this system is crucial to grasp what Chiles and her team acted upon.

An inquiry in gymnastics challenges the scoring of a routine, initially verbally and then in writing. According to USA Gymnastics, inquiries can lead to video reviews of the performance. If upheld, the $300 official appeal fee is refunded.

Olympian John Roethlisberger explained during the live broadcast that the inquiry centered on a tour jete full that Chiles did not receive full credit for in previous qualifications and the initial floor finals. Team USA coaches believed this time she executed it better and opted to challenge the score, having “nothing to lose.” Judges agreed, awarding Chiles enough points to clinch the bronze.

Olympian Laurie Hernandez added that inquiries exist because “sometimes they do miss it,” emphasizing the importance of accurate scoring.

This situation is reminiscent of Team USA’s Aly Raisman’s experience in the 2012 Olympics. Raisman moved from fourth to bronze on the balance beam after judges reviewed her routine.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.