Kaylia Nemour of Algeria made history by winning the country’s first gold medal in gymnastics, delivering a stunning performance in the uneven bars final on Sunday. Her routine narrowly defeated Qiu Qiyuan of China. Sunisa Lee of the United States secured her third medal in Paris and her sixth Olympic medal overall, matching her bronze finish from Tokyo three years ago.
Despite being French and training in France, Nemour switched to represent Algeria due to a dispute with the French gymnastics federation and her club, Avoine Beaumont. This decision led her to embrace her father’s Algerian heritage. The 17-year-old gymnast excelled on the uneven bars, showcasing a series of complex releases and intricate hand maneuvers that highlighted her athletic and technical prowess.
Nemour’s exceptional skills were crucial in surpassing Qiu, who delivered an impressive routine. Qiu’s legs remained perfectly aligned, and her handstands were so precise that she resembled a straight ruler. Following her dismount, Qiu received a score of 15.5, eliciting cheers from the crowd. However, Nemour’s performance earned her a score of 15.7, the highest of the meet in any event, securing her victory.
Although Nemour competes for Algeria, she celebrated her win on familiar ground. She proudly draped the Algerian flag over her shoulders, receiving a thunderous ovation for winning Algeria’s first-ever gymnastics medal.
Suni Lee’s journey to the Paris Olympics was marked by challenges, including multiple kidney diseases that hindered her training for the past 15 months. She only began to focus seriously on Paris in December. Despite these obstacles, Lee has already won three medals in Paris, contributing to the U.S. women’s team gold led by Simone Biles and earning bronze in the all-around event behind Biles and Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade.
Lee’s six Olympic medals put her just one behind Shannon Miller for the second most by an American gymnast. Lee has the opportunity to match Miller’s record in the balance beam final on Sunday.
Liu secures another gold
Liu Yang of China successfully defended his Olympic title on the still rings, achieving a score of 15.300 to narrowly defeat his teammate Zou Jingyuan in the finals. At 29, Liu becomes the third man to win multiple Olympic titles in this event, known for its demand for strength and precise body control, joining the ranks of Albert Azaryan of Russia and Akinori Nakayama of Japan.
Eleftherios Petrounias of Greece secured the bronze medal, marking his third consecutive Olympic medal on the rings. He previously won gold in Rio de Janeiro in 2016 and bronze in Tokyo three years ago. The key difference between Liu’s 15.300 and Zou’s 15.233 scores lay in their dismounts; Zou stumbled slightly upon landing, whereas Liu’s landing was more stable.
France’s Samir Ait Said finished in fourth place, eight years after a devastating injury in Rio where he broke his left leg during the vault. Despite his setback, Said has already set his sights on competing in Los Angeles 2028. He delivered a powerful performance in front of a supportive crowd at Bercy Arena, but his score of 15.000 was met with disappointment from the audience.
Later on Sunday, the men’s vault finals are set to take place. Jake Jarman of Britain, the reigning world champion, will compete in a field that includes Carlos Yulo of the Philippines. Yulo recently won his country’s second-ever gold medal at the Summer Games by claiming the floor exercise title on Saturday.