Ana Barbosu is the talk of the town right now! Why? On 10th August, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) awarded the bronze medal in the floor exercise to gymnast Ana Barbosu at the Paris Olympic Games. This decision came after the Romanian Gymnastics Federation (FRG) and the Romanian Olympic and Sports Committee submitted memos contesting the initial results. According to an announcement, the CAS ruling confirmed Barbosu’s placement, with Sabrina Maneca Voinea moving to 4th place.

The CAS ruling involved several key outcomes: Ana Maria Barbosu’s application was partially accepted, while Jordan Chiles’ appeal was deemed invalid due to being filed late and being given a bronze medal initially. Chiles’ original score of 13.666 was reinstated, and the International Gymnastics Federation will adjust the final rankings accordingly.

The appeal from FRG and Sabrina Maneca Voinea was rejected. Consequently, the gold medal went to Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade with a score of 14.166 and silver to the U.S.’s Simone Biles with a score of a score of 14.133. The revised standings place Ana Maria Barbosu in 3rd with a score of 13.700, Sabrina Maneca Voinea in 4th with the same score, and Jordan Chiles in 5th with 13.666. With that in mind, who is this 18-year-old’s coach?

Romanian gymnast Ana Maria Barbosu is coached by Patrick Kiens from the Netherlands. Aged51. In January 2024, Ana Maria Barbosu and seven of her teammates trained at CS Meaux in France. According to Romanian team head coach Patrick Kiens, this training opportunity was crucial as it allowed them to practice on the Gymnova apparatus, the same brand they will use at the Paris 2024 Olympics. However, Barbosu began gymnastics at age four and trained daily from age six at Clubul Sportiv Scolar (CSS) Focsani.

Her early enthusiasm was ignited by watching older gymnasts perform impressive routines. “When I first went to the gym, there were some older girls doing elements on the floor, and when I saw them I was like, ‘Wow, I want that too’. I loved watching what they were  doing,” she said. Currently, she trains at the Olympic Gymnastics Centre in Deva, Romania, and follows a philosophy of treating every competition equally, focusing on consistent performance rather than comparisons. But the question remains: which club is she a part of?

From gymnastics dreams to Olympic reality, Ana Barbosu turned the tides of fate

Ana Barbosu comes from a supportive family where her father owns a construction business and her mother, Pompilia, teaches Romanian at a grammar school. She has an older brother who is three years her senior. On the eve of the competition, Ana meticulously prepares her equipment, leotard, perfume, hairspray, and tracksuit to ensure everything is perfectly in place. On competition day, she prefers to stay focused and avoids unnecessary interactions, only using her phone to turn off the alarm.

Ana began her gymnastics journey at Clubul Sportiv Scolar (CSS) Focsani at age six and joined Steaua Bucharest Army Sports Club in 2023. She currently trains at the Olympic Gymnastics Centre in Deva. Daniela Trandafir, who coached her until 2018, praises Ana’s relentless determination, noting her eagerness to return to the gym even during breaks.

While Ana does not have a specific hero, she admires all champions for their remarkable achievements. As a member of the Romanian team, she helped secure a 10th-place finish at the 2023 World Championships in Antwerp, earning a team berth for Paris 2024. Ana is also a two-time world championship all-around finalist, placing 20th in 2022 and 23rd in 2023. And now she is officially an Olympian after much struggle!