EDDIE PENEV is a Bulgarian former artistic gymnast born on this date. He was a member of the United States national team where he was part of the gold medal-winning teams at the 2014 Pan American Championships and the 2016 Pacific Rim Championships. He competed in NCAA gymnastics for the Stanford Cardinal, where he was a three-time individual NCAA champion. He was born in Sofia, Bulgaria, to Youlia Coss (née Hristova) and Marian Penev, both of whom were former members of the Bulgarian national gymnastics team. His family moved to the United States when Penev was three years old.

Penev began representing Bulgaria in international competition in 2007. He competed at the 2007 World Championships but did not qualify for any event finals. At the 2009 European Championships, Penev finished eighth on floor exercise. At the 2010 World Championships, Penev qualified to the floor exercise final, where he finished sixth. At the 2011 World Championships he finished 70th in the all-around and did not qualify for any event finals.

In 2013, Penev officially switched his nationality to represent the United States in international competitions. He competed at the 2013 Winter Cup where he won the vault title. As a result, he was added to the United States national team for the first time. He made his international debut for the United States at the Anadia World Cup where he finished sixth on floor exercise. He competed at his first U.S. National Championships that year where he placed second on vault and was named to the United States national team.

Penev was selected to compete at the 2017 World Championships, his first World Championships representing the United States. During the qualification round, he finished sixth on floor exercise but did not qualify for the final due to teammates Yul Moldauer and Donnell Whittenburg scoring higher. He was, however, the second reserve for the vault final. During the summer of 2018, Penev suffered his second ACL tear.

In 2021, Penev qualified to compete at the postponed-2020 Olympic Trials; however, while competing at a mock meet at the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Training Center, Penev tore his ACL for the third time in seven years,

In early 2023, the International Gymnastics Federation approved Penev’s nationality change request, allowing him to once again represent Bulgaria in international competition. He immediately competed at various World Cups, winning gold medals on floor exercise in Varna and Osijek, and winning silver in Szombathely.

In 2024, Penev attempted to qualify for the Olympic Games via the World Cup circuit. He won bronze on floor exercise in Cairo and placed fourth in Baku. However, he had to withdraw from the Doha World Cup due to a shoulder injury.

On January 20, 2026, Penev announced his retirement from competitive gymnastics. He is out gay.