At just 17 years old, Kaylia Nemour made history on Sunday, August 4th, by becoming the first African to win an Olympic medal in women's artistic gymnastics on the uneven bars.
Kaylia Nemour shines as Algeria's first Olympic gold in gymnastics
Kaylia Nemour, of Algeria, during the women's artistic gymnastics individual uneven bars finals in Bercy Arena at the Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2024, in Paris, France.
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Nemour secured the nation's inaugural Olympic gold medal in gymnastics by executing an exhilarating routine in the uneven bars final on Sunday, narrowly defeating China's Qiu Qiyuan.
This gold medal marks Algeria's sixth Olympic gold since it began participating in the Games in Tokyo 1964.
Kaylia Nemour, the gold medalist, expressed her joy, stating, "I’m thrilled to have won this medal. It hasn’t fully hit me yet, but I believe it will as time passes. I take great pride in bringing this gold medal home for Algeria and Africa; it’s truly amazing."
The teenager, whose father is Algerian and mother is French, was born in Saint-Benoit-la-Foret, France.
She initially played for France but later decided to represent Algeria, leading to controversy in her native country.
Nemour remarked, "Well, I don't really think about it, this medal is for me and for Algeria. I represent Algeria now, france is behind me, I have turned the page, that's it"
Just like the stone rejected by the builders became the cornerstone, Nemour has risen to prominence.
When asked if Kaylia's achievement brought Nadia Comaneci to mind, her coach Marc Tcherlinko replied, "Nadia is always in our hearts. Kaylia has a bit of Nadia in her; this medal signifies more than just victory. It reflects her inner journey and today stands for Algeria and its federation. This is her hard work, and it ties her to her father's heritage. As someone with Moldovan roots, I find this to be an incredible gift."
Following a dispute with the French gymnastics federation and her club, Avoine Beaumont, Nemour opted to represent Algeria, aligning herself with her father's Algerian heritage.
Nemour achieved a score of 15.7, which was the highest score of the meet across all events.
Competing under a different flag, she proudly displayed the Algerian banner after her victory.
The crowd erupted in cheers as she secured Algeria's first-ever gymnastics medal.