Vancouver native and Prairie High School graduate Jordan Chiles wins gold with the U.S. women’s gymnastics team at the Paris Olympics

A Vancouver native and Prairie High School graduate helped the U.S. women’s gymnastics team win the gold medal in the women’s team finals on Tuesday.

Before performing a thrilling floor routine, Jordan Chiles raised her right fist in the air, looked straight into the camera and winked, exuding confidence.

As she struck her final pose, the 23-year-old closed her eyes and held back tears as her family cheered her on from the audience.

At Naydenov Gymnastics in Vancouver, Chiles’ colleagues and former coaches also burst into applause.

“We gathered, watched and cheered for Jordan and Team USA,” said Randi Milliner, a former coach.

Chiles enrolled at Naydenov Gymnastics at the age of 6.

“Her early coaches saw her at a young age and pulled her into the team that was the best fit for her to help her quickly move up the ranks,” Milliner said. “They put everything they had into her to mold her and shape her into the gymnast she became.”

While attending Pleasant Valley Middle School, Chiles was one of nine girls ages 11 to 15 in the United States to achieve USA Gymnastics international junior elite status.

Her coaches always knew she would go far.

“There’s a lot of discipline, time, dedication and sacrifice that’s gone into it,” Milliner said. “Everybody here is very proud. She’s had a great start here at Naydenov.”

Today, Chiles is a hero to many young gymnasts at Naydenov and throughout Vancouver.

Milliner added that her daughter, also a gymnast, was “so inspired” after seeing Chiles’ routine.

“She felt like she could do anything,” Milliner said. “It was like she had a superpower. Knowing that Jordan was in our gym, training with some of these girls — it’s very inspiring.”

Chiles was also on the silver medal-winning team at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, along with Simone Biles and Sunisa Lee. This year, the team went on a “redemption tour.”

When Chiles returned to Vancouver after winning the silver medal, the city threw a parade and Mayor Anne McEnerny-Ogle gave her the key to the city. Now McEnerny-Ogle thinks another parade is in order.

“It’s not often that we have a gold medalist in our small area,” she said.

After the team won the gold, McEnerny-Ogle sent a message to Chiles’ mother, Gina Chiles.

“We loved her wink!” she said, referring to the moment that has since gone viral.

Chiles left Vancouver in 2019 to train with Biles at the World Champions Centre in Spring, Texas.

“It was the best thing for her,” Milliner said. “Everyone who had a hand in her development is now very proud of the role they played, and excited for her and Team USA.”

Naydenov manager Chris Castellano, who worked with Chiles when she was a child, said he hopes the win will bring awareness to local gyms and gymnastics in general. He added that several students spoke enthusiastically about Chiles’ routine Wednesday morning.

“She reached the top of the sport,” he said. “We played a small role, but she did all the work.”

An International Gymnastic Federation rule keeps Chiles out of the all-around final at the Paris Olympics on Thursday, despite earning the fourth-highest total score in qualifying. Chiles is scheduled to compete on floor again on Monday.

The last gold medalist from Vancouver was skier Gretchen Fraser, who competed in the slalom at the 1948 Winter Olympics in St. Mortiz. Gretchen Fraser Neighbourhood Park in East Vancouver is her namesake.