ADHD! It’s that thing where your mind’s running faster than your body can keep up. And guess what? Even some of the greatest athletes have been there. Simone Biles, Michael Phelps, Noah Lyles, and even NFL legend Terry Bradshaw have all had to tackle it head-on. But instead of letting it hold them back, they used it to fuel their success. Jordan Chiles? Same story. In a super chill conversation with Noah Lyles and Rai Benjamin, she casually dropped the bomb that she’s been dealing with ADHD since she was a kid. But instead of meds, her parents found a different solution! So, what’s the story behind that?
When it comes to elite gymnastics, we often see the dazzling flips, the perfect landings, and the jaw-dropping performances. But what we don’t always see is the struggle behind the scenes. Recently, Jordan Chiles, an Olympic gymnast, revealed that she has been diagnosed with the same condition as Simone Biles. In a candid conversation with track star Noah Lyles, Chiles shared the medical difficulties she has faced and how they impact her career.
Recently, during a candid chat on Beyond the Records with Noah Lyles on March 20, Jordan Chiles revealed that she’s been in the same boat since childhood. When Noah brought it up, saying, “ADHD came up a few times in there, and it, you know, jumped out at me only because I am diagnosed with ADD as well. Um, when… when did you get diagnosed?” Chiles didn’t hold back.
“I was really little. I was young, maybe younger than four? Above six?” she recalled, trying to piece it together. “It was… I was in elementary school, I believe, so it’s kind of hard to remember. I just remember going into the school, and they were telling my parents that I wasn’t focusing in class because I was going from person to person, playing. I wasn’t able to sit still.” The turning point came when her dad tried to have a conversation with her while her mom was out of town. “I was flipping, moving, and trying to grab things while talking, but the moment he stopped me, everything went blank. I couldn’t talk to him, I didn’t know what I was saying, but when he let go, I could continue the conversation,” added the 23-year-old. That’s when her parents had their lightbulb moment—Jordan needed a way to channel all that energy. And here’s where Chiles took a different route.
She said, “My dad was like, ‘Okay, look, we have to put her in something. We need to get her energy out somehow.’” Gymnastics came into her life, and the rest is history. But what stood out was how she handled it differently from others. “I’m not against medication for ADHD or ADD because if that’s what helps, then that’s totally fine. Trust me, Simone is a great example of that.” She makes a valid point because Simone Biles revealed how she manages her ADHD with medication as she continues to achieve gymnastics triumphs.
However, Chiles selected an alternative strategy to achieve his desired outcome. She explained, “For me, it just helped to get my energy out in a different way.” Through her decision to participate in sports, she was able to control ADHD symptoms thereby creating the path to her success as a gymnastic star. But the way Simone Biles’ ADHD journey came out was cruel as it was exposed by hackers! The disclosure of Biles’ ADHD happened when hackers exposed her personal information.
Alongside Jordan Chiles, Simone Biles and Noah Lyles turned ADHD into strength
A controversy struck Simone Biles in 2016 when a Russian hacker known as “Fancy Bear” hacked WADA and released Biles’ private medical information. The leaked information revealed that Biles had been taking Ritalin a medication used to manage ADHD. While some tried to question her achievements, Biles shut down the noise quickly.
She took to X, stating, “I have ADHD and have taken medicine for it since I was a kid. Please know, I believe in clean sport, have always followed the rules, and will continue to do so.” Instead of being shamed, Biles turned the situation into a powerful statement about embracing her condition. Even Lyles also knows what it’s like to have a mind that’s constantly in motion.
Diagnosed with ADHD in middle school, Lyles has been open about the challenges it brought growing up. ADHD made it hard for him to stay focused and follow through on tasks, which often made school a struggle. “I just knew this kid had a lot of energy,” his mom, Keisha Bishop, recalled in the Netflix documentary SPRINT. But instead of letting that energy spiral, Lyles found the perfect outlet—running. Sports and medicine gave him the focus he needed, and science backs it up.
