After the thrill and competition of the 2024 Summer Olympics, many athletes are reflecting on their experiences and eyeing future goals. Among them, skateboarder Minna Stess and gymnast Jordan Chiles are already setting their dreams beyond the recent Games held in Paris. Stess, only 18, made quite the impression as one of the youngest competitors, even if she didn’t make it to the finals.
Stess hailed from Petaluma and described her Olympic experience as surreal. Speaking about her participation, she said, “It was definitely a new and crazy experience. I’ve been leading up to it for so many years, so it’s crazy to have it finally happen. Now, I don’t have to work toward the Olympics right now. I can just chill for a second and soak it in.” The joy of just being able to call herself an Olympian seemed to resonate deeply, especially as skateboarding debuted as an Olympic sport only recently, back at the Tokyo Games.
Although Stess fell short of reaching the finals, she was able to celebrate her identity as part of the Olympic movement. Reflecting on her time, she remarked, “It’s unbelievable. I never thought I’d be able to say I am an Olympian, especially as a skateboarder. When you think of skateboarding, you don’t think of Olympians. It’s really cool.” Stess even had her share of memorable moments, having bumped elbows with NBA superstar Steph Curry during the rainy opening ceremony, which she described as “really cool.”
After the Olympic spotlight, the pressure shifted back to her normal competitive environment, where she returned to contest skating just weeks after the Games. Competing at the Rockstar Energy Open in Portland, Stess claimed fourth place, which she regarded as a victory of sorts. “I landed my run, and that's what I wanted to do,” she expressed, noting how the atmosphere was much less intense than at the Olympics. “It was such a breath of fresh air.”
What stood out for Stess during this event was the experience of competing alone. Having traveled to various competitions before, this was her first time facing the stakes independently at such a level. She shared, “I had never gone to a contest alone. I’ve done skate trips alone, but never a contest. It was so weird because I usually have someone to go to between runs, but I was literally just walking around, not knowing what to do.” Despite this unfamiliarity, she still managed to shine on the skatepark, scoring 76.18 on her final run.
Next on her skating voyage is Japan, where she will throw herself back onto the board for the X Games Chiba 2024 shortly. This challenge signifies not only participation but also marks Stess’s growing international presence within the sport. “The park looks sick. It looks fun. I’m just excited to go out there and skate,” she quipped about her upcoming Tokyo experience. Practice may be limited, as she noted, “We don’t really get much practice, which kind of sucks, but we never do at the X Games Japan. We’ll see how it goes.”
Every just-skated-for-fun athlete oscillates their way through various destinations, and for Stess, it's not just about the medals; it’s about the memories and moments shared with teammates and competitors alike. After Japan, she has her eyes set on Rio for yet another contest.
But the long-term goal has her thoughts trailing back to the Olympics themselves. Set for 2028, Los Angeles beckons with its proximity to home. Stess stated, “For sure, I want to qualify for Los Angeles. Sometimes I don’t know because the qualifiers are insane, and it’s a lot of stress, I’m not gonna lie. But it’s in Los Angeles, and I can’t pass this up.” The allure of competing close to friends and family holds significant weight for her aspirations and makes training worthwhile.
Meanwhile, Jordan Chiles is facing her own set of hurdles post-Olympics. The gymnast made headlines when she was awarded bronze during the floor exercise event. She, along with fellow gymnast Simone Biles, made history, being part of the first ever all-Black Olympic gymnastics podium. Yet, this momentous achievement took a turn when officials stripped Chiles of her medal due to procedural issues surrounding her coach's appeal after originally missing the timeframe to contest the scoring.
Following these developments, Chiles’s team has turned to the courts, with her legal representation appealing to the Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland to review the decision made by the Court of Arbitration for Sport. This decision had the International Olympic Committee recognizing Ana Barbosu of Romania as the bronze medalist instead of Chiles.
Attorneys have provided video evidence captured from the Netflix docuseries "Simone Biles Rising," which showed the events following Chiles' performance. The footage reportedly confirms the timeline of events differently than the CAS ruling suggests. Chiles’s coach, Cecile Landi, initiated inquiries immediately after the score presentation, and the video evidence corroborates this timing.
Chiles expressed dissatisfaction with the initial ruling, her attorneys asserting she deserved the opportunity for her case to be heard fully. They feel this video footage is integral to securing her medal back, citing violations of her right to be heard during arbitration proceedings.
Chiles has continued to train and celebrate her accomplishments, locking arms with fellow gymnasts including Biles, both taking part across various events following the Games, such as the Gold Across America Tour, which showcases their talent and keeps their Olympic spirit alive.
Referencing both athletes’ journeys, the 2024 Olympics encapsulated far more than just competition; for Stess and Chiles, it highlighted reflections on achievement, humility, future goals, and the drive to continue pushing boundaries not just for themselves, but also to represent their communities and the sports they love.
Whether they are absorbing the lessons learned or targeting goals for the upcoming years, it is clear the passion felt by Olympians does not end when the medals are handed out. Instead, they persist as they carve paths forward, planning for the next stages of their careers.
