Joy quickly turned to agony for Romania’s Ana Barbos at the Paris Olympics on Monday.
Barbos thought she had won the bronze medal in the women’s floor exercise after Jordan Chiles initially received 13.666 points, which would have been enough to give Barbos her first career Olympic medal.
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Ana Barbos of Romania performs during the women’s floor exercise final on day 10 of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the Bercy Arena on August 5, 2024 in Paris, France. (Mehmet Murat Oner/Anadolu via Getty Images)
She began to celebrate when the judges announced that after an investigation, Chiles’ scores had been changed, earning her a news score of 13.766 and solidifying her place on the podium.
Ms Barbos picked up the flag in celebration and then left the venue shocked and in tears.
Gymnastics legend Nadia Comaneci slammed the score change.
Nadia Comaneci attends the 2019 Laureus Fashion Show Gala during New York Fashion Week fusing sport and fashion to highlight “Sport for Good” at Mercedes-Benz Manhattan on September 10, 2019 in New York City. (Stephen Ferdman/Getty Images)
“I can’t believe this is how they treat their athletes’ mental state and emotions… Protect them,” the nine-time Olympic medalist wrote to X.
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Comaneci won five gold medals as an Olympic athlete, and was the first gymnast in history to receive a perfect 10 at the 1976 Summer Olympics.
U.S. team coach Cecil Lundy defended the decision to inquire about the score.
“At this point I had nothing to lose so I was like, ‘I’m just going to give it a go,'” Lundy said. “I honestly didn’t think it was going to happen, but then I heard her scream and I turned around and I was like, ‘You know what?'”
Ana Barbos of the Romanian team competes in the women’s floor exercise final in artistic gymnastics on day 10 of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the Bercy Arena on August 5, 2024 in Paris, France. (Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
This is the 18-year-old Barbos’ first Olympic appearance since starting her senior career, after a brilliant run as junior champion at the 2020 Junior European Championships where she won six gold medals.
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She won first place in the individual all-around at the 2022 and 2023 Rom-Zim Trophy and first place in the individual all-around and uneven bars at the 2023 Romanian Championships.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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