Algeria’s Kaylia Nemour stormed to gold in the women’s uneven bars final at Paris 2024 to become the first ever African to win an Olympic medal in artistic gymnastics.
The 17-year-old had topped the scores in qualification and improved on that performance with a score of 15.700 from the judges following a flawless fast-paced routine which featured a number of complex release-and-catch manoeuvres.
“I’m so shocked, it’s the dream of all my life. I can’t believe it has happened, I’m speechless,” she said.
Nemour’s success also provided Algeria with its sixth Olympic gold since first competing in Tokyo in 1964.
The North African nation last topped the podium at London 2012, when Taoufik Makhloufi won the men’s 1500m.
Last year Nemour, who was born in Saint-Benoit-la-Foret, France, became the first African to claim a world championship medal in gymnastics when she took silver in the uneven bars final in Antwerp.
And she went one better at the Bercy Arena on Sunday as Qiu Qiyuan of China, the reigning world champion, finished second with a score of 15.500 and American Sunisa Lee took bronze.
“In qualifying, I had 15.600,” Nemour said.
“When I saw her (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, ended the competition in fourth.
Nemour switched to represent Algeria, the country of her father’s birth, last year after a dispute with France’s gymnastics federation over her return to action following a knee injury.