The Team USA Golden Girls didn’t just snag their shiny gold medals at the Paris Olympics—they also served up a big ol’ side of revenge. In the 24 hours since Simone Biles, Suni Lee, Jordan Chiles, Jade Carey, and Hezly Rivera clinched America’s fourth team gold, the squad has been stirring up some serious drama, especially towards one notable figure: MyKayla Skinner.

Skinner’s doubts about the team, other than Simone Biles, had ruffled feathers in the gymnastics world after the 2024 US Olympic trials.

For a month, the girls let the tension simmer. But now, the “F.A.A.F.O” Five have not only bounced back from Paris with a vengeance, but also served up a spicy retort to their former Olympian critic. And Jordan Chiles’ mom didn’t hold back, giving a perfectly spicy comeback to the haters, as revealed to EssentiallySports exclusively right here at the heart of the action in Paris.

After Jordan Chiles snagged her second Olympic medal and first Olympic gold at the Paris Olympics, our correspondent, Shreya Verma, caught up with Gina Chiles and the whole crew at the Boulevard de Bercy.

When EssentiallySports asked Gina what she’d say to Team USA haters, the proud mom had the perfect zinger for both Jordan and the whole squad: “They can look at what’s hanging around their neck.” Talk about a mic-drop moment! This clapback was pure gold and nailed the emotion of the moment, but did you know this isn’t Gina’s first rodeo with the perfect comeback?

It was a Friday night in June when MyKayla Skinner threw a watch party on YouTube, live-commenting on the USA Women’s Gymnastics Olympic Trials. In a now-deleted video, the 2021 vault silver medalist didn’t hold back, sharing her thoughts on Team USA’s chances for Paris 2024.

She threw some serious shade, saying, “Besides Simone, I feel like the talent and the depth just isn’t what it used to be. I mean, obviously, a lot of girls don’t work as hard. The girls just don’t have the work ethic.” Skinner also took a jab at SafeSport regulations, suggesting that they’ve softened athletes’ competitive edge.

She noted that while it’s good coaches now have to be more cautious with their comments, the stricter rules have also softened the competitive spirit needed for gymnastics, saying that getting really good in the sport often requires a bit of aggression and intensity. But wait, there’s more! She downplayed the absence of the Russian team and criticized Jordan Chiles and Suni Lee’s performances, leading to a serious backlash.

via Reuters

Skinner remarked that it was “kind of crazy” that some girls who fell twice were still ending up in second place in the all-around, referring to the balance beam mishaps from day two of the trials.

Jordan Chiles’ mom, Gina, wasn’t having any of it and fired back on X, “Whoa. She really said that out loud and posted it. That’s something…” Meanwhile, Simone Biles, Jordan’s BFF, clapped back on Threads, “Not everyone needs a mic and a platform.”

The drama didn’t just fizzle out; it sparked a wave of voices from the community expressing their disappointment with MyKayla Skinner. In response, Skinner delivered not one but two apologies.

In her first video apology, she insisted, “I love those girls and I’m seriously so happy for them, so I would never do anything to make them feel otherwise. So sorry if that came out wrong. That was not my intention at all.”

Then, she followed up with an Instagram post where she said, “I want to formally apologize to Team USA and to our gymnastics community for my comments during my recent YouTube episodes of the Gymnastics Olympic Trials. It was not my intention to offend or disrespect any of the athletes or to take away from their hard work.” 

For nearly a month, the drama simmered down as the Paris Olympics team focused on their gold mission. But on the night when all eyes were on the “Golden Girls,” aka the “F.A.A.F.O.” Five, Simone Biles reignited the drama flame!

Biles threw shade at Skinner’s rant on social media by posting a picture of the girls from their Paris Olympics win, captioning it, “Lack of talent, lazy, Olympic champions.”

Even Suni Lee jumped on the clapback train, sharing on her Instagram stories, “Put a finger down if Simone Biles just ended you 🖐🏻.” Rumor has it, Skinner even blocked Simone, leading Biles to cheekily tweet, “oop I’ve been blocked 👀🫢😂.” Jordan Chiles then added fuel to the fire by posting a snap of Simone’s phone showing Skinner’s block, with the caption, “When she blocks Simone.”

While the drama unfolds, MyKayla Skinner hasn’t responded yet but did share a sweet picture of Team USA on the podium with hearts on her Instagram stories. With all these twists and turns, what do you think of this dramatic layer added to Team USA’s gold win? And what’s your take on Gina Chiles’ spicy words to EssentiallySports? Drop your thoughts in the comments below!