Gymnast Edged Out by Jordan Chiles for Floor Podium Speaks Out after Loss — Fans Say She's the 'Real' Bronze Winner

The Romanian athlete whom Jordan Chiles beat for a bronze medal shared a statement after a nail-biting floor exercise final, captivating netizens and catching the attention of a gymnastics legend.

Romanian gymnast Ana Barbosu has spoken out following a controversial finish in the Artistic Gymnastics Women's Floor Exercise at the 2024 Paris Olympics and netizens had a lot to say about her heartfelt post on social media.

Barbosu's performance was quite dramatic. During the floor exercise final, both she and fellow Romanian gymnast Sabrina Voinea scored 13.700. Barbosu initially held the bronze medal position due to her higher execution score.

However, an inquiry by Chiles resulted in a review of her score, which was adjusted to 13.766, moving Chiles to third place and displacing Barbosu from the podium.

In a heartfelt Instagram post following her loss, Barbosu expressed her pride and gratitude. "A dream come true✨🥹Competing with the most amazing teammates, and placing 7th at the Olympics is a huge accomplishment!" she wrote.

She said that being in two individual finals was more than she ever dreamed of. "Going from 8th to 4th in the floor final was exciting!🤩 None of this would've been possible without the people who were unconditionally supporting me. A big thank you to all of them!💙" she added.

Barbosu also shared a photo from the floor final on her Instagram Story, writing, "Thank you to everyone who encouraged me before, during, and after the competition..."

Several netizens commented on Barbosu's Instagram post, expressing their support for her and disappointment with the final results. A fan wrote that she is "The real bronze medal winner."

Another user stated, "As an american, im sorry for what took place. But you’re an olympian medalist in my book [sic].🥉"A third user, criticizing USA's win, remarked, "You're AMAZING! They stole your medal, but can't stole your dream. GO AHEAD!!!!!! Love from Brasil 🇧🇷❤️ [sic]"

One fan also wrote, "No doubt that bronze medal belonged to you! It’s incredibly fantastic that you and your teammates have got România back to the Olympics 🇷🇴 I’m sure you will get many great results in the future 🍀 I wish the best for you 💙💛❤️ Deepest respect from Denmark 🇩🇰 Felicitări 💐"

In addition to netizens' reactions, a prominent figure in the gymnastics world also voiced her concerns. Legendary Romanian gymnast Nadia Comaneci commented on the situation via X, formerly Twitter.

She tweeted, "I can't believe we play with athletes mental health and emotions like this… let's protect them #anabarbosu [sic]," highlighting the emotional toll such controversies can take on athletes.

Despite the dramatic turn of events, which still saw Barbosu celebrating her high achievement on Instagram, Chiles was also emotional about her unexpected victory. She said, "I have no words, but I'm so proud of myself. So losing my voice means everything, because it takes a while for me to do that."

She grabbed the attention of her coach Cecile Landi and teammate Simone Biles, jumping up and down before showing them her new score, which she didn't expect. Chiles' bronze completes her Olympic medal set, adding to her team gold and silver from previous competitions.

Chiles and Barbosu's dramatic match came after Chiles reportedly missed out on the All-Around finals despite securing the fourth-highest score in qualifying due to a rule limiting each country to two gymnasts in individual event finals. Her teammates, Biles and Lee, who ranked higher, edged her out.

Chiles's missing out on the All-Around finals became a topic of discussion on X. Senior NFL insider Josina Anderson shed light on the situation, stating that Lee deserved a "better embrace" from Chiles but acknowledged the difficulty of Chiles's situation.

"I also understand that sometimes all of us need more time to process before putting on a face and acknowledging present circumstances. Still the camera is on, and she has to maintain her usual grace and well-known charisma wherever her results land in the standings," Anderson explained.

Anderson clarified in another post, "Didn't say she didn't deserve to feel devastated. Sportsmanship is being a good sport, while**** feeling devastated. Suni initiated the hug after a very extended period. That's what happened [sic]."

However, after Anderson's explanation, more users criticized Chiles. A critic claimed Chiles was being mean and unhelpful, suggesting she should have shown more "class and sportsmanship" instead of "pettiness and selfishness."

A netizen expressed frustration, calling the scrutiny unnecessary and noting that even Suni likely understood the situation, emphasizing it's ridiculous that the world's third-ranked gymnast couldn't compete.

Another perspective noted that it was odd to criticize Jordan, emphasizing that this was likely her last chance at the All-Around title. They stated she is entitled to her emotions and will support Suni when it's her turn.

In response to a wave of criticisms, a fan defended Chiles, noting that people should be allowed to cope with emotions in their own way and noting that Chiles and Lee appeared to be friends again shortly after competing, as they filmed a TikTok together.

Despite these mixed reactions, Chiles's contributions to Team USA were significant. She competed in all four events during the team final, leading off in three, and her performances were crucial in securing the gold medal.

"Having this opportunity definitely felt really good...Being able to be a part of winning this gold medal...it's just been an amazing experience," Chiles said.

Unlike some gymnasts who let frustration affect their performance, Chiles always cheered for her teammates. When Team USA needed her in all four events for the best score, she fully committed.

Chiles's coach, Cecile Landi, remarked, "It was good for her...She loves competing. She loves it." This sentiment underscored the significance of the All-Around final, a historic event in its own right.

The All-Around final saw historic achievements from Simone Biles and Lee. Biles became the first woman to win non-consecutive Olympic All-Around titles, while Lee's third-place finish solidified her legacy. Together, they became the first U.S. gymnasts with multiple Olympic All-Around medals.

Barbosu's heartfelt Instagram post following the controversial end to the Women’s Floor Exercise at the 2024 Paris Olympics highlights her resilience.

Meanwhile, Chiles’ dramatic bronze medal win sparked mixed reactions. Through it all, both gymnasts displayed remarkable sportsmanship, turning their Olympic journey into an inspiring story of dedication and grace.