Romanian Olympic gymnast Ana Barbosu is taking the high road after the whole world witnessed her sheer disappointment after losing out on a medal due to a scoring change.
Barbosu posted Monday to Instagram Stories a video of her competing in the women’s floor final, where she ultimately finished fourth when American Jordan Chiles’ score received a late bump, with the caption, “Thank you to everyone who encouraged me before, during, and after the competition,” according to E Online.
The 18-year-old also reposted a Stories message from former Romanian Olympic gymnast Sandra Izbasa-Bianca that praised Romania and seemingly hinted at frustration with the judges’ decision.
“I hear more vividly than ever the words that the coaches repeated to us almost daily in the training room,” Izbasa-Bianca wrote in Romanian, according to E Online. “‘You, as Romanians, must be more than perfect in order not to leave room for interpretations!’ And here, it proves itself once again! Girls, head up and back straight! Keep believing in your dreams! Go Romania!”
Barbosu received one of the worst blows of the Olympics when she went from believing she had earned a bronze medal only to learn she had just missed the cut, with the cameras capturing it all.
She celebrated with the Romanian flag and smiled from ear to ear before officials awarded a score correction to Chiles’ performance following a USA inquiry.
Barbosu celebrating while thinking she had finished third during the women’s floor final. @kickboxing_ro/X
Chiles’ score jumped from 13.666 to 13.766, pushing her past Barbosu’s 13.700 mark.
Cameras caught Barbosu crying while being consoled by an individual.
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Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade won gold, while Simone Biles finished in second. Fellow Romanian Sabrina Maneca-Voinea finished fifth with the same score as Barbosu.
Barbosu cried after learning she had not earned a medal. @kickboxing_ro/X
“This is just a dream come true,” Chiles said on the Peacock broadcast Monday. “It’s my first time ever in an event final. Like we said, it was a redemption tour, and I just wanted to come out and do the best that I could. So this medal means everything.
“First event final, first event medal. Oh my gosh, I have no words, but I’m very proud of myself.”
Romania prime minister Marcel Ciolacu is skipping Sunday’s closing ceremony due to the controversy.
“I decided not to participate in the closing ceremony of the Paris Olympics, after the scandalous situation in gymnastics, where our athletes were treated in an absolutely dishonorable way,” Ciolacu posted on Facebook on Tuesday. “To withdraw a medal earned by honest work on the basis of an appeal, which neither the coaches nor the top technicians understand, is totally unacceptable!”
He added: “The fact that hundreds of millions of viewers from all over the world were, like us Romanians, effectively shocked by this terrible scene, shows that somewhere, in the system of organizing this competition, something is wrong. I don’t want to argue with anyone today, but I just choose to protest with my gesture against a blatant injustice towards some Romanian women who have fully proven their worth! Sabrina and Ana Maria, you have a whole nation by your side for whom your work and tears are more valuable than any medal, no matter what precious metal it is!”
