This post was updated Aug. 6 at 5:54 p.m.

The stars were aligned for Team USA.

Qualifying for the team final in first place – over five points ahead of second – the Americans were expected to dominate.

They did.

Jordan Chiles and Team USA won the gold medal in the women’s artistic gymnastics team final at the 2024 Paris Olympics at Bercy Arena. Chiles, who deferred the 2024 UCLA gymnastics season to train for the Games, is now tied with Madison Kocian as the most decorated Olympic gymnasts in Bruin history.

Chiles got the day started on vault. Powering through a Yurchenko double twist, she notched a 14.400. Jade Carey and Simone Biles followed Chiles with a pair of Cheng vaults, contributing to a 43.332 total on the event. The United States women accumulated the highest score on the event of any country.

While she isn’t used to leading off events at UCLA, Chiles got the U.S. started on their next event: bars. Chiles hit her best routine yet, scoring a 14.366. With gold medal pressure on her shoulders, Chiles found familiarity by sticking her full twisting double back dismount – something she got used to while in Westwood.

Biles and Sunisa Lee followed up with a 14.400 and 14.566, respectively. The U.S. women maintained the lead they started in the first rotation, leading Italy by over three points. With six more routines to go, the idea of a gold medal around Chiles’ neck increasingly became a reality.

Until it wasn’t.

Leading off the U.S. on beam, Chiles fell on the first skill of her routine – a front pike mount. It could have been over for the U.S.

But Chiles put the fall behind her. Following the mistake, Chiles stuck every skill, including her double pike dismount. With the Americans maintaining a three-point lead, the gold medal remained in sight. 

The duo of Biles and Lee hit their two routines after and held their leads heading into the final rotation.

Chiles was just one floor routine away from Olympic glory –  something she dreamed about as a kid and fell short of in Tokyo. 

Chiles delivered a 13.966, setting up Team USA’s grand finale on the floor. Lee scored a 13.533 – four tenths higher than her qualification score – contributing to their effort.

Biles, often regarded as the greatest of all time, solidified the team’s gold medal with 14.666 on floor, the day’s highest score on the event.

Contributing routines on all four events, Chiles played an essential role in Team USA’s gold medal-winning performance. 

Italy placed second, 5.802 points behind the U.S. The Italian’s silver medal is their first team placement at the Olympic Games since 1928. Brazil took the bronze, led by 2020 Olympic vault champion Rebeca Andrade.

In Westwood, Chiles led the Bruins back to the NCAA championships in 2023 and won herself two individual titles.

In Paris, she can now call herself an Olympic champion.