US gymnastics star Jordan Chiles recalls harrowing racist abuse she suffered as a child in front-cover Teen Vogue interview ahead of Olympics

Team USA gymnast Jordan Chiles has opened up on the harrowing racist abuse she suffered while competing as a child on the eve of the Paris Olympics.

Chiles, 23, is gearing up for her second appearance at the Olympic Games this week after making it onto a star-studded USA roster along with the likes of Simone Biles and Suni Lee.

A few days out from the opening ceremony, the girl from Vancouver, Washington, has starred on the front cover of Teen Vogue after giving a candid interview about her gymnastics journey.

On the eve of the Games she has looked back at her formative years in the sport, recalling her early experiences with racism as she plied her trade as a youngster.

'Some lady in the crowd basically was like, "She doesn’t deserve to be on the floor. She doesn’t even look like anybody else,"' Chiles said when thinking back to one particular incident.

'People were racially attacking me without me even really knowing. I’m young, so I only know the story because my mom told me. 

'Security had to come and say, "Ma’am, she’s doing everything just like everybody else." I’ve gotten medals taken away from me. I’ve been told that my mom wasn’t my mom. I’ve gotten told that I wasn’t Black.'

Chiles refused to let those discriminatory comments derail her path to success in the sport, nevertheless.

At the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, she picked up a silver medal in the team final after replacing Biles on uneven bars and the balance beam when her teammate withdrew to focus on her mental health.

So what advice would Chiles have for young athletes of today who encounter racism on their own sporting journeys? 

She added: 'I can tell the younger generation, "Look, if this ever happens, use your voice, say what you need to say. And if you get kicked out of the gym, you get kicked out of the gym.

'"But at least you were able to stand up for yourself. At least you were able to tell them how you truly feel."'

At 23, Chiles heads to this summer's Games with the belief and confidence that it certainly won't be her last.

And after claiming Olympic silver and world-championship gold medals, she is already proud of what she's achieved up to this point.

'I like knowing that I am 23 and I’ve accomplished so much,' she says. 'It’s just the beginning of my life story. I have so much life to live. I know what my passion and my worth are on this earth and I will continue to do everything I need to fulfill every dream I have.'