Jordan Chiles And Ana Barbosu Overcome Olympic Scandal To Shine In 2025
30 May 2025, Saxony, Leipzig: Gymnastics: European Championships, decision: uneven bars, women. Ana ... More Barbosu (Romania) reacts. Photo: Marijan Murat/dpa (Photo by Marijan Murat/picture alliance via Getty Images)
Gymnasts Ana Barbosu (ROM) and Jordan Chiles (USA) became internationally recognized names in August 2024. In the final gymnastics event of the Paris Olympics, Barbosu and Chiles became embroiled in a tumultuous feud over the bronze medal.
After initially awarding the bronze medal to Chiles, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) stripped the American of her Olympic medal, instead awarding the bronze to Romania's Barbosu. In a matter of days, Chiles went from triumph to despair, and Barbosu underwent the reverse.
Currently, both athletes possess their bronze medals, but only Barbosu's is officially recognized by the Olympic governing body. Chiles' legal team is actively suing to have her medal formally reinstated.
In short, the situation remains unresolved, with both athletes enduring immense mental hardship while caught in the crossfire.
"I have no words," Chiles said of the result in late August, describing the decision as 'unjust' and a 'significant blow' to herself and her supporters. Chiles also faced a barrage of hate and harassment from fans, an element 'adding to the heartbreak.'
Despite holding conflicting interests with her competitor, Barbosu deeply empathized with Chiles' pain. She also endured her own.
'It was a very tough time,' Barbosu said of the period following the Olympics, telling the media that she was 'heartbroken' during the fallout.
Though both dealt with a share of struggles, the two have already channeled their heartbreak into triumphant performances in 2025.
FORT WORTH, TEXAS - APRIL 19: Jordan Chiles of the UCLA Bruins competes in floor exercise during the ... More Division I Women's Gymnastics Championships held at Dickies Arena on April 19, 2025 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by C. Morgan Engel/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)
So far, the two Olympic 'rivals' have exceeded expectations.
This past spring, Chiles led the UCLA Bruins to their first Big Ten Championship and a National Runner-Up title at the 2025 NCAA Championship. Chiles also defended her 2023 NCAA uneven bars title, collecting her third individual championship.
Off the mat, Chiles expanded her impact far beyond gymnastics.
In May, Chiles made history as one of the first two gymnasts to land the cover for the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. The same month – Mental Health Awareness Month – she committed to a powerful partnership with CorePower Yoga, centering the importance of mental health and wellness in sports.
With every new partnership, Chiles reinforces her commitment to becoming a prominent voice for mental health and women's sports. Though the two-time Olympian has not yet decided on an elite comeback, she has her sights set on another NCAA title push in 2026, her senior season with the UCLA Women's Gymnastics team.
Interestingly, Chiles' Olympic rival will join her on the collegiate stage next year. In a shocking turn of events, Barbosu announced her commitment to ACC powerhouse Stanford University. She will join the Cardinal in 2026, competing as a freshman while Chiles completes her senior season.
Though she began the year with hardship, this time in the form of injuries, Barbosu made a statement at last week's European Championships. In fact, she made history. Initially considering withdrawing from the event to focus on her studies, Barbosu exceeded expectations at May's championship in Germany.
The 18-year-old collected four medals—tying the most of any female athlete at the championship—and finished her competition with gold on floor exercise.
31 May 2025, Saxony, Leipzig: Gymnastics: European Championships, Decision: Floor, women. Ana ... More Barbosu (Romania, gold) at the award ceremony. Photo: Marijan Murat/dpa (Photo by Marijan Murat/picture alliance via Getty Images)
Her performances were nothing short of historic for Romania. Barbosu finished third in the all-around despite an error-ridden beam routine, marking her nation's first all-around medal since 2013. With her gold medal on floor, she clinched Romania's first European title on the event in five years.
She also collected a surprise bronze on bars, an event that has plagued Romanian gymnastics for decades. The last time a Romanian medalled on the event was Steliana Nistor in 2007, over 17 years ago.
For Barbosu, her success in 2025 shows 'that [she] is capable of getting over the hard times with the right people beside [her].'
While the Romanian now has her sights set on finishing exams and training for a World Championship berth, fans can hardly wait to see Barbosu share the collegiate stage with her fellow Olympian, Jordan Chiles.
Though their journeys came at odds last August in Paris, Barbosu and Chiles set glowing examples of athletes channeling hardship into triumph.
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