Jordan Chiles knows what time it is thanks to Flavor Flav. At the 2024 VMAs, the Public Enemy rapper and the Olympic gymnast walked onto the stage together when the emcee handed Chiles a bronze clock — a staple in his wardrobe over the years — amid her giving back her bronze medal last month.

“I just want to turn this into a little Olympic moment for a second if ya’ll don’t mind,” said Flavor Flav. “Ay yo Jordan, I know they tried to take your medal away from you, but you know what? I got you something that they can’t take away from you.”

Flavor Flav took the bronze pocket watch and placed it around Chiles’ neck. “Wow, I don’t even know what to say here,” she said. “Thank you so much.”

“As y’all know I am an official sponsor for the United States Olympic Water Polo Team, so that’s why I wanted to turn this into an Olympic moment,” he added as the rapper signed a five-year sponsorship deal with the USA Water Polo Women’s and Men’s National Teams back in July. “And guess what else? I got your prize money too. I just wanted to surprise you with that.”

Jordan Chiles Opens Up About Bronze Medal Controversy

Team USA gymnast Jordan Chiles, with a neutral expression (no happy faces)

On Wednesday (Sept. 11), Chiles spoke at the Forbes’ Power Women’s Summit, where she emotionally recalled the ordeal of having her bronze medal stripped from her at the Olympics. The Court of Arbitration (CAS) decided against the US gymnastics team’s appeal of Chiles’ score. While the appeal was originally granted and Chiles was awarded the bronze medal in the women’s floor exercise, the Romanian gymnastics team rebutted the decision. CAS honored the Romanian’s team challenge and Ana Bǎrbosu of Romania was awarded the bronze medal.

“The biggest thing that was taken from me was the recognition of who I was.
Not just my sport, but the person I am,” she said as the audience erupted in applause.

“To me, everything that has gone on, it’s not about the medal. It’s about my skin color. It’s about the fact there were things that have led up to this position of being an athlete. And I felt like everything has been stripped. I felt like when I was back in 2018 where I did lose the love of the sport, I lost it again. … I feel like I was really left in the dark.”

Chiles has spoken about her former coach who almost made her quit the sport after a coach “emotionally and verbally abused” her back in 2018. The Olympic gold medalist has never named her.