Jordan Chiles throws first pitch at Mets vs Reds as USA Olympic gymnast moves on from losing her Paris ‘heartbreak’ at losing bronze medal

Jordan Chiles threw the first pitch before the New York Mets hosted the Cincinnati Reds in MLB on Friday night – one of her most high-profile public appearances since losing her Olympic bronze medal.

The 23-year-old Chiles walked out at Citi Field in Queens on Friday night to warm applause and cheers before throwing the pitch in a must-win game for the Mets, who are vying for the playoffs with the Atlanta Braves.

Earlier in the day, the gymnast was seen preparing for her big moment by throwing pitches to Mets star slugger Pete Alonso.

It comes after Chiles controversially lost the Olympic bronze she thought she won in the floor final in Paris to Romania gymnast Ana Barbosu.

Chiles was initially ranked fifth in the final but was awarded the bronze in the floor exercise in Paris on August 5 on the back of an appeal by Team USA coach Cecile Landi, who challenged her athlete’s degree-of-difficulty score. 

It is one of Chiles’ most high-profile appearances since having her Olympics medal taken away

Chiles got loud cheers and applause as she walked out at Citi Filed on Friday evening  

That challenge led to a .1 boost, bumping Chiles to 13.766 – just ahead of Barbosu’s 13.700. Barbosu was already celebrating winning a medal when the boost to Chiles’ score was announced, leaving her in tears.

Chiles celebrated on the podium that night, but the medal was reallocated to Barbosu after a ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport, from a Romania appeal, voided Landi’s appeal on the day itself. 

Former Team USA gymnast Laurie Hernandez said in August that she had spoken to Chiles and that she was heartbroken by what had happened.

‘I’ve reached out a bit,’ Hernandez said to E!. ‘I think she’s just feeling a lot of heartbreak. There’s no words for it.’

‘So Jordan did have to give that medal back, and Romania won that bronze once again,’ Hernandez continued.

‘It’s heartbreaking. And all of this is done in the public eye. 

‘My heart goes out to Jordan because it’s not her fault by any means. It’s not her coach’s fault by any means. It’s not the judge’s fault.’

Chiles controversially lost her Olympic bronze from the floor final at the Paris Games  

Chiles has not spoken out too extensively since losing her medal aside from taking a short break from social media.

USA Gymnastics have vowed to challenge the ruling and said that critical errors were made by the Court of Arbitration for Sport in how the handled the inquest.