Olivia Dunne and Simone Left off Major 2026 Ranking as Jordan Chiles Claims Sole Gymnastics Spot
Apr 19, 2025; Fort Worth, TX, USA; UCLA Bruins gymnast Jordan Chiles performs on floor exercise during the 2025 Women's National Gymnastics Championship at Dickies Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Apr 19, 2025; Fort Worth, TX, USA; UCLA Bruins gymnast Jordan Chiles performs on floor exercise during the 2025 Women's National Gymnastics Championship at Dickies Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Gymnastics star Jordan Chiles may not have the stardom of Simone Biles or Olivia Dunne, but she has made it to the list where Biles and Dunne couldn’t reach.
In Time’s 100 most influential people in sports 2026 ranking, both Dunne and Biles failed to secure spots despite their major influence and recognition in sports and culture. But Chiles emerged as the lone gymnast honored.
“Chiles, who graduates from UCLA in June, published a memoir, I’m That Girl, last year,” wrote Time Senior Correspondent Alice Park. “(She) founded the Shero Athlete Collective, a mentorship program that she hopes will help young women ‘see their strength, legacy and bold authenticity.’”
Feb 14, 2025; Los Angeles, CA, USA; UCLA gymnast Jordan Chiles before starting her balance beam performance during an NCAA gymnastics meet against Penn State at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wesco. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images
Feb 14, 2025; Los Angeles, CA, USA; UCLA gymnast Jordan Chiles before starting her balance beam performance during an NCAA gymnastics meet against Penn State at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wesco. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images
With two Olympic medals under her name, Chiles made it to the list as the only gymnast among 99 other sports icons: LeBron James, Caitlin Clark, Stephen Curry, Lando Norris, Aryna Sabalenka, Alysa Liu, and others.
Biles, the most decorated gymnast in history, with 11 Olympic and 30 World Championship Medals, and Dunne, the highest-paid NIL athlete during her collegiate era, fell short of the former UCLA Star, reflecting her growing profile beyond sport.
This ranking surely established Chiles’ status as a powerhouse in her sport, which started to become more visible after the 2024 Paris Games.
Jordan Chiles fought for her spot in the 2024 Paris Olympics
Apart from the team gold, Chiles was awarded bronze on the floor exercise following a score inquiry, which placed her from 5th to 3rd spot. However, an IOC ruling stripped her of the medal, relocating it to Romania's Ana Barbosu. But Chiles didn’t remain silent.
“Jordan Chiles and her lawyers have filed an appeal with the Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland, relating to her performance in the artistic gymnastics women's floor exercise at the Olympic Games Paris 2024,” wrote Olympics.com’s James Pratt.
And it showed fruition in early January 2026, when the Swiss Supreme Court ruled in her favor, declaring the arbitration court had to re-hear her case. Whether she’ll reclaim her bronze or not, time will tell. But this solidified her status as someone who is unafraid of taking her stance.
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Written by
Deblina Roy