NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE Blue Jackets 5, Bruins 1 Avalanche 3, Flyers 2 Oilers 0, Canadiens 3 Ducks 4, Stars 2 Capitals 6, Utah Hockey Club 2 Red Wings 4, Sharks 5
Jordan Chiles of Team USA looks on with her Bronze Medal from the Women’s Apparatus floor final on day ten of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Bercy Arena on August 05, 2024 in Paris, France. (Naomi Baker/Getty Images)
(NEW YORK) — Olympian Jordan Chiles opened up this week in her first interview since being stripped of her bronze medal from the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The star gymnast, whose bronze medal in the women’s gymnastics floor exercise final was revoked in August, spoke on the subject at the 2024 Forbes Power Women’s Summit in New York City on Wednesday.
“The biggest thing that was taken from me was that it was the recognition of who I was,” said Chiles, pausing halfway through and becoming emotional. “Not just my sport, but the person I am.”
“To me, everything that has gone on, it’s not about the medal, it’s about my skin color, it’s about the fact that there were things that have led up to this position of being an athlete,” she said.
She added, “I felt like when I was back in 2018, where I did lose the love of this sport. I lost it again. I felt like I was really left in the dark.”
Chiles referenced a coach she said she had in 2018, who she claimed “emotionally and verbally abused” her, though she did not name them, and said losing her medal made her feel voiceless again.
“I wasn’t able to be heard,” she said.
She added, “I made history and I will always continue to make history, and something that I rightfully did, I followed the rules. My coach followed the rules. We did everything that was totally, completely right.”
Initially, Chiles finished fifth in the individual floor exercise final at the Paris Olympics, only to be moved up to the bronze medal spot after her coaches appealed the scoring of one of the elements in her routine. In moving from fifth to third, she leaped over two Romanian gymnasts — including Ana Barbosu, who had already begun celebrating bronze.
The International Gymnastics Federation has since awarded Barbosu third place, after the Court of Arbitration for Sport voided the appeal made by Chiles’ coach at the event, with CAS saying Chiles’ score was “raised after the conclusion of the one-minute deadline.” In stating the challenge came too late, the CAS reinstated Chiles’ incorrect 13.666 score.
CAS later said it would not hear Chiles’ appeal to keep her bronze medal from the Paris Olympics despite new evidence, according to USA Gymnastics.
Following the unsuccessful appeal, Chiles took to Instagram to share her feelings on losing the medal.
“I have no words. This decision feels unjust and comes as a significant blow, not just to me, but to everyone who has championed my journey,” she wrote in a statement at the time.
“To add to the heartbreak, the unprompted racially driven attacks on social media are wrong and extremely hurtful. I’ve poured my heart and soul into this sport and I am so proud to represent my culture and my country,” she continued.
Chiles took home one medal from the Olympics, helping Team USA secure gold in the women’s artistic team all-around event. She was also a part of the silver medal-winning team at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.
Jannik Sinner of Italy celebrates a point against Taylor Fritz of the United States during their Men’s Singles Final match on Day 14 of the 2024 US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 08, 2024. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
(NEW YORK) — Italian Jannik Sinner defeated American Taylor Fritz in straight sets in the U.S. Open men’s final on Sunday.
It was the first time Sinner, the world’s No. 1, has won the title, and the first time an Italian man has won the U.S. Open.
Sinner defeated the California native in straight sets, 6-3, 6-4, 7-5. This was the first time either player made it to the finals of the U.S. Open.
Sunday’s win is also Sinner’s second Grand Slam title this year after winning the Australian Open in January.
Sinner’s road to victory had been marred by a doping scandal that resulted in points and prize money deductions rather than a ban. It was disclosed late this summer that Sinner had tested positive for the banned anabolic steroid Clostebol, which he claims he encountered after his fitness trainer treated an injury on Sinner’s physiotherapist, who later worked on the player, leading to the trace amount in a test result.
The revelation all but cast a cloud over a banner year in which he won five singles titles, including the first Grand Slam title of the year.
Sinner told ABC News after the match that he was comfortable on the court despite facing criticism leading into the tournament.
“I was just happy to compete,” Sinner said while holding the championship trophy.
Sinner called the saga a very tough moment for his team but maintained, “They know what, what happened and what I’ve done, which is I haven’t done anything wrong.”
Despite the criticism from some players, Sinner said he could sense the enthusiasm from the packed Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd.
Sinner found support from fans who flocked to see the final in the most well-attended U.S. Open in history. According to the United States Tennis Association, more than one million people attended the U.S. Open throughout its three-week run.
“They gave me so much energy, especially in moments where I was struggling and also today, this final, you know, playing against American and it was such a fair crowd,” the 23-year-old Italian said.
The audience was also peppered with celebrities, including Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce, Olympian Noah Lyles, Martha Stewart and Bad Bunny.
For Fritz, Sunday’s tournament came on the heels of an all-American semifinal on Friday, where he beat American Frances Tiafoe. Fritz walked on court to Sunday’s final as the first American man to see a Grand Slam final since Wimbledon 2009, where Andy Roddick competed. Roddick was also the last American man to win the U.S. Open title in 2003.
In his post-match press conference, Fritz reflected on what he described as a “really tough match.”
“I didn’t, definitely didn’t hit the ball as well as I expected to,” Fritz said, adding, “That’s just kind of how it goes when you’re playing, you know, he’s the best player in the world right now.”
The 26-year-old got choked up as he described the pressure leading into Sunday night’s match.
“I feel like the fans, obviously, American fans, [have] been wanting a men’s champion for a long time, and I just, I don’t know, I’m pretty upset with how I played. I feel like, I don’t know, I feel like I almost let a lot of people down,” Fritz said.
Fritz said his body had rested since the five-set match against fellow countryman Tiafoe. “I didn’t feel anywhere near as nervous going into this match as I did in the semis. So I thought emotionally, you know, it’s obviously the U.S. Open final, I want to win it, it’s a really big moment. But I felt like emotionally I was going to be OK,” he said.
(NEW YORK) — Here are the scores from Wednesday’s sports events:
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
INTERLEAGUE LA Dodgers 1, LA Angels 10 Detroit Tigers 5, San Diego Padres 6 Cincinnati Reds 12, Houston Astros 5 NY Mets 8, Boston Red Sox 3 Philadelphia Phillies 4, Toronto Blue Jays 2
AMERICAN LEAGUE Seattle Mariners 16, Oakland Athletics 3 Chicago White Sox 8, Baltimore Orioles 1 Tampa Bay Rays 9, Minnesota Twins 4 Kansas City Royals 4, Cleveland Guardians 1 Texas Rangers 10, NY Yankees 6
NATIONAL LEAGUE Arizona Diamondbacks 6, San Francisco Giants 4 Miami Marlins 4, Washington Nationals 3 Atlanta Braves 5, Colorado Rockies 2 Chicago Cubs 12, Pittsburgh Pirates 0 St. Louis Cardinals 3, Milwaukee Brewers 2
WOMEN’S NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION Indiana Fever 93, Los Angeles Sparks 86
