Ana Barbosu Reflects on Emotional Olympic Journey

Ana Barbosu, the young Romanian gymnast, recently shared her heartfelt thoughts after competing at the Olympics where she experienced the highs and lows of competitive sports.

During the women’s gymnastics floor final, Ana initially won a bronze medal with a solid score of 13.700. However, her joy was short-lived as a score adjustment for Team USA star Jordan Chiles pushed her down to fourth place.

On her Instagram Stories, Ana expressed her gratitude, saying, “Thank you to everyone who encouraged me before, during, and after the competition.” It’s clear that the support from fans meant a lot to her as she navigated this challenging moment.

She also shared a message from retired Olympian Sandra Izbasa-Bianca, who emphasized the hard work of the Romanian gymnastics team. Sandra reminded the team of the importance of being ‘more than perfect’ to avoid any doubts about their performance.

Ana waved the Romanian flag proudly at the event, but when she realized she wouldn’t be on the podium after the score change, it was a tough moment. She walked off in tears, comforted by one of her coaches.

Commenting on the usual practice in gymnastics, a sports analyst noted that it’s not uncommon for athletes to request reevaluation of scores, as sometimes judges might miss critical elements.

After scoring change news, Jordan Chiles was emotional, saying, “I just wanted to come out and do the best I could… I have no words—I’m just very proud of myself.” Her win was met with cheers, showing the camaraderie among the gymnasts.

Both Simone Biles and Jordan took a moment to bow towards the gold medalist Rebeca Andrade at the podium, highlighting their respect for each other’s abilities.