NEW YORK — American gymnast Jordan Chiles has not given up her and USA Gymnastics' fight to have a bronze medal from the Paris Olympics returned.
Chiles, who was born in Washington state, spoke with TODAY's Hoda Kotb in her first televised interview since the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) voided the on-floor appeal by Chiles' coach that vaulted the American from fifth to third place in the floor exercise final in August.
"I feel like I recently have been trying to tell myself I've been okay the past four, five months, and it's honestly been a very, very difficult time," Chiles said Monday on TODAY.
CAS, following a hearing requested by Romanian officials, ruled Landi's appeal came 4 seconds beyond the 1-minute time limit for scoring inquiries and recommended the initial finishing order be restored. The International Gymnastics Federation complied and the International Olympic Committee ended up awarding bronze to Romanian Ana Barbosu on Aug. 16.
"I can only control what my truth is, and I know what the truth is, and I know that we were right in everything that we were doing," Chiles told Kotb.
Chiles' appeal maintains that the CAS hearing violated her “right to be heard” by refusing to allow video evidence that Chiles and USA Gymnastics believe showed Landi appealed within the 1-minute time allotment. Chiles' appeal also argues that Hamid G. Gharavi, president of the CAS panel, has a conflict of interest due to past legal ties to Romania.
The gold medal won by Chiles and Team USA in the team competition at the Paris Olympics is not under dispute, but Chiles explained why the bronze medal is so significant to her.
"It was like a cherry on top. My redemption tour going into Paris was - yes, coming back with a gold, coming back with, you know, the understanding that I was able to go out there and be the best version of myself," Chiles said to Kotb.
"Plus, it was an all-Black podium that was, that was history made. That was something I'm very proud to be a part of."
Chiles, fellow American Simone Biles and Brazil's Rebecca Andrade made up the podium in Paris.
She said she has not spoken to Barbosu since the Romanian gymnast was awarded the medal, and that she did not have any official updates on her appeal.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
