Remember what happened with Jordan Chiles at the Olympic Games? CAS and FIG stripped Jordan Chiles of her career-first individual Olympic bronze medal in the women’s floor exercise finals, penalizing her to fifth place in the standings. It was an all-black podium, which was historic, but the celebrations were just for a while, and later Chiles even fought in court to get back her medal.

However, months have passed, and 2025 has already arrived, with no updates on the situation. The American gymnast’s bronze medal went to her Romanian rival Ana Barbosu in the process, and it was also her career-first Olympic medal. While Barbosu has already embarked on her new gymnastics career path, another Romanian gymnast also had a similar update to share, highlighting her international meet schedules for the future.

Romanian gymnast’s American dream coming to reality

So who’s this Romanian gymnast? Another rival of Jordan Chiles? Maybe? But her name is Lilia Cosman. She competed in the Paris Olympics’ Romanian women’s gymnastics team, and it was the career-first Olympic Games for her nation. Even though she was born in the US, her parents are Romanian, and she has formed a strong connection with the country.

As reported by Sport, the 17-year-old opened up on her ambitions for the future, stating, “I don’t know what it will be like, I just know that I won’t give up gymnastics. In 2028, I want to be with the Romanian team for the second time at the Olympic Games, especially since they will be in Los Angeles.” She experienced the thrill of competing at the Olympic Games, and she aspires to maintain consistency in her career by participating in major international events. Indeed, she’s unaware of what the future holds for her, but she’s not afraid of taking on new challenges in life.

In 2022, when she was just 15 years old, she became a part of the national team and had always dreamed of appearing on the Olympic stage in her career. And when it happened in the French capital, it was a big moment in her life.

However, competing under the nationality of Romania hasn’t limited her options for pursuing a career in the US. Recently, she accepted the opportunity to start her college journey at Michigan State University. While she will depart the nation that she competes for, it won’t be permanent, as she’s determined to juggle between traveling from the US to Romania and vice versa for her collegiate and national gymnastics careers, respectively.

Cosman joined the Romanian team in 2022, and her journey to the Olympic Games was somewhat challenging. “My parents spoke Romanian at home. It wasn’t very difficult for me to learn it, it’s just that I don’t know all the words and I don’t speak grammatically correctly. Before the Paris Olympics, my father came to Romania and spent more time with me to help me,” Lilia described her issues with communication. However, since it was her first Olympic Games, she performed at her best and was a vital part of the team. 

The Romanian gymnasts, indeed, were a highlight of the 2024 season, with names like Ana Barbosu in the front row. She became a bronze medalist in the women’s floor exercise finals after Chiles’ medal controversy. However, she has also embarked on the pursuit of her American dream, and just like Cosman, who will compete for the Michigan State Spartans, Barbosu will also be a big part of a Division 1 NCAA team.

Jordan Chiles’ Olympic rival’s next quest in her gymnastics career

The decision by FIG and CAS, which resulted in their gymnast Jordan Chiles losing her Olympic bronze medal, deeply troubled the American gymnastics fans. Indeed, the controversy was pretty big, and there are still debates lingering in the corners of the community. Many questions were also imposed on the Romanian gymnast Ana Barbosu, who was awarded the bronze instead of Chiles. While the Romanian didn’t feel the best while receiving the accolade, she wanted to clear the air that she has her utmost respect for her American rival, despite being competitors on the mat.

Sportsmanship at its best? Absolutely! Barbosu has also made major steps in her career, and recently, she joined Stanford University. Taking to Instagram, she announced the update, stating, “It feels almost surreal to announce that I’ve been accepted to Stanford University!” Indeed, such experiences don’t come often in life, and when they come, one should cherish them to their fullest.

Barbosu knows how big of an opportunity this is to compete at the top stage of the NCAA for such a reputed university. Competing on American soil will give her a ton of benefits, and she is fully aware of it and wants to utilize this endeavor to the fullest.