August 04, (THEWILL) – Algerian gymnast, Kaylia Nemour, made history on Sunday, by winning the first Olympic gymnastics medal for Africa. The 17-year-old clinched gold in the uneven bars final at the Paris Olympics, outperforming China’s Qiu Qiyuan and USA’s Sunisa Lee.
Nemour’s remarkable performance scored 15.700 points, placing her ahead of world champion Qiu who earned 15.500 points for silver. Lee, competing last, secured bronze, pushing defending Olympic champion Nina Derwael of Belgium into fourth place.
Born in France, Nemour now represents Algeria, her father’s country. She made the switch after a dispute with the French federation, which had blocked her from competing on medical grounds. The young athlete expressed shock and joy at her achievement, calling it a lifelong dream come true.
The uneven bars final saw some surprises, including the absence of US gymnastics star Simone Biles, who failed to qualify for the event. Meanwhile, Belgium’s Derwael, a former two-time world champion, finished just off the podium in her return following surgery.
Nemour’s victory marks a significant moment for African gymnastics. Her gold medal performance not only breaks new ground for the continent but also adds an exciting chapter to the story of the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
