WASHINGTON — While Olympic gymnast Jordan Chiles is preparing to represent the United States in Tokyo in about a week, her mother is facing a different life-changing experience.
During an interview with the TODAY show on Wednesday, Gina Chiles revealed that she was scheduled to report to federal prison on the day the women's gymnastic team is expected to compete in the finals, if they qualify.
According to court documents, Chiles pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. She was sentenced in November to a year and a day in prison with three years of supervised release.
She was initially scheduled to report to prison on July 27 to begin serving her sentence.
However, the U.S. District Court in Oregon this week approved her request for a 30-day delay. Her attorney wrote in a court brief that the delay would "give Mrs. Chiles’ daughter at least some additional time to have her mother’s emotional support and guidance during such a monumental time her young life."
She is now scheduled to report to federal prison by Aug. 26, after the Tokyo Olympics conclude.
“Every moment that I watch Jordan is the most amazing moment as a mom,” Chiles told Hoda Kotb, trying to fight back tears. “And so I just am looking at it as not bittersweet, but just a sweet period that she's here.”
Chiles won't be the only mother not in attendance this year. Due to coronavirus restrictions and to help prevent the spread of the virus, no family members or fans are allowed to attend the Olympic competitions in Tokyo.
Simone Biles told the Associated Press on Wednesday before flying to Japan that it was going to be weird to perform without fans or her family cheering her on.
"Yeah, it's going to be really tough, I think, only because I've never competed without a crowd. I've never competed without my family there. So to be very different. But I know they'll be there in spirit and we'll be chatting before and after the meet. So hopefully fingers crossed it goes well," Biles explained.
Nellie Biles, Simone's mother, said Jordan Chiles will still have support at the games because the two young women share a "bond."
"I mean, they fight, believe me. They do fight. We don't get into it. I don't get in the way because the next minute, they're hugging. That's a special relationship that they have," Nellie Biles said.
The Olympic games will kick off on July 23, but the women's gymnastics won't hold its first round of qualifiers until July 25.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
