This post was updated Aug. 7 at 8:11p.m.

Jordan Chiles was representing UCLA gymnastics at the NCAA championships just five months ago. On Saturday, the Olympian was back on the competition floor – this time representing World Champions Centre, her elite club.

Chiles, who announced her intention to take a year off from NCAA competition to pursue a return to the Olympics in 2024, competed in two events at the 2023 U.S. Classic in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, tying for fourth place on bars in her first stop on the road to Paris.

“I couldn’t be more proud of how she did,” said UCLA coach Janelle McDonald. “Adding back in a lot of the skills that she didn’t compete during the NCAA season takes a lot of hard work, and for her to transition back into the elite level so beautifully was amazing to see.”

Bars also happened to be Chiles’ first event of the day. Her first time competing in the event, since she scored a perfect 10 and took first at the NCAA championships. With an upgraded routine from her NCAA season, Chiles successfully hit all of her skills and stuck her dismount en route to a 13.900 — a 5.700 difficulty score with an 8.200 execution score for the performance.

McDonald pointed out that Chiles’ ability to hit her routine with additional difficulty shows the work that she’s put in.

“She does her college bar routine and then a whole other half of a bar routine when she competes elite,” McDonald said.” “The work that goes into having the endurance to not just perform that routine, but to nail it like she did at Classics, takes a lot of time and dedication.”

On beam, her second and final event of the day, Chiles also added to her NCAA routine with a new leap and additional acro skills.

Though she had some errors, including a large wobble on her series and a missed split on her leap, she stayed on the beam and posted a 12.800, which placed 13th out of 35 competitors.

“To go out and really fight through that beam routine and be able to stay on and get that hit routine under her belt, I think is going to give her a lot of confidence going into Championships and moving on to some bigger meets later this year,” McDonald said.

Although her competition ended after beam, Chiles remained on the floor for the second part of the meet to display her trademark enthusiasm and support in energizing the crowd and the other U.S. gymnasts.

In particular, after fellow WCC member and former UCLA-commit Simone Biles landed her unique Yurchenko double pike, Chiles and Biles executed a synchronized, choreographed celebration, in a moment that swiftly gained traction on social media.

McDonald said Chiles’ energy in the arena positively influences everyone around her.

“Her impact goes well beyond what she does on the competition floor,” McDonald said. “The energy that she brings to a competition, especially at the elite level, changes the game for all of those athletes on the floor.”

As a member of the 2022 World Championships team, Chiles had already qualified for the 2023 U.S. Championships competition prior to the U.S. Classic. She will compete there next in San Jose on Aug. 25 and 27.