When Jordan Chiles first saw her score for the floor routine final, it looked like she had just missed the podium, landing in fifth place. The American gymnast was disappointed, believing she had missed out on a medal.
But then something incredible happened—a score inquiry changed everything.
The review led to a late adjustment in Chiles’ score, moving her from fifth to third place. This shift bumped her ahead of Romania’s Ana Barbosu and secured her a bronze medal.
This bronze was Chiles’ second medal of the Paris Olympics, adding to her gold from the women’s team all-around event, making it her first-ever individual Olympic medal. Chiles expressed her excitement and disbelief, saying, “This is just a dream come true… I honestly didn’t expect this whatsoever. I’m just very proud of myself.”
In the final standings, Brazil’s Rebecca Andrade took gold, while Chiles’ teammate Simone Biles won silver.
So, why did Chiles’ score change? Here’s a breakdown of the inquiry and how she earned her bronze:
What Was Jordan Chiles’ Original Score?
Chiles’ initial score was 13.666, placing her in fifth. It seemed like she would miss out on a medal. However, following the inquiry, her score was revised to 13.766, which moved her up to third place.
Jordan Chiles’ Inquiry Explained
Former Olympian Laurie Hernandez, speaking on the NBC broadcast, clarified that the judges initially assigned a C value to one of Chiles’ leaps, adding 0.30 points to her score. Chiles’ team believed this leap was undervalued and decided to challenge it, feeling they had nothing to lose. The judges reviewed the inquiry and agreed with Chiles’ team, changing the value of the leap to D, which is worth 0.40 points. This 0.10-point increase made all the difference, moving Chiles from fifth to third and pushing her ahead of Barbosu and Romania’s Sabrina Maneca-Voinea.
What is an inquiry in gymnastics?
In gymnastics, athletes and their teams have the option to challenge the scores given by judges through a process known as an inquiry.
Here’s how it works:
- Verbal Challenge: Initially, the team can challenge the judges verbally, expressing their concerns about the score.
- Written Inquiry: Following the verbal challenge, a formal written inquiry must be submitted. This written request must include a specific reason for challenging the score. You can’t just submit an inquiry because you’re unhappy with the score; it must be based on a legitimate reason, such as an error in the judges’ evaluation.
- Submission Timeline: The inquiry has to be submitted between the time when the gymnast’s final score is announced and before the next gymnast begins their routine.
- Judges’ Review: Once the inquiry is accepted, the judges review the score in question. They can decide to either keep the score the same, increase it, or decrease it based on the review.
Jordan Chiles’ floor routine score was initially challenged, leading to a revised score that ultimately helped her secure a bronze medal.
