In a momentous achievement for African gymnastics, 17-year-old Kaylia Nemour of Algeria stormed to gold in the Women’s Uneven (Asymmetric) Bars final at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Nemour became the first ever African athlete to win an Olympic medal in artistic gymnastics.
Nemour had topped the qualification scores and followed that up with an even more impressive performance in the final, scoring 15.700 from the judges. Her fast-paced routine featured a number of complex release-and-catch maneuvers that wowed the crowd at the Bercy Arena.
“I’m so shocked, it’s the dream of all my life. I can’t believe it has happened, I’m speechless,” an elated Nemour said after her historic victory.
The gold medal was Algeria’s sixth Olympic title since the country first competed at the 1964 Tokyo Games. Their last Olympic champion was Taoufik Makhloufi, who won the men’s 1500m at the 2012 London Olympics.
Nemour, who was born in France but switched to represent Algeria last year, had previously made history by becoming the first African gymnast to win a world championship medal, taking silver on the uneven bars in Antwerp in 2023.
In Paris, she went one better, edging out reigning world champion Qiu Qiyuan of China, who settled for silver with a score of 15.500. American Sunisa Lee claimed the bronze medal.
“In qualifying, I had 15.600,” Nemour recalled. “When I saw [Qiu’s] 15.500, I really had to fight and gave the performance of my life. It’s crazy, I’m honoured to have this medal after all that has happened, it’s a relief.”
The defending Olympic champion, Belgium’s Nina Derwael, finished fourth in the final.
Nemour’s switch to represent Algeria last year came after a dispute with France’s gymnastics federation over her return to action following a knee injury. Her decision has now been thoroughly vindicated with an historic Olympic gold medal.