Algerian gymnast Kaylia Nemour secured the gold medal in the Olympic uneven bars final held at Bercy Arena in Paris, while American gymnast Suni Lee earned the bronze, marking her third medal at the 2024 Summer Olympics. Nemour, a talented 17-year-old, achieved a score of 15.7 to take home the gold, while Qiu Qiyuan of China, also 17, captured the silver medal with a score of 15.5.
This victory is particularly significant for Nemour, who was born and raised in France and started representing Algeria last year after the French Gymnastics Federation prevented her from competing post-knee surgery in 2021. Her gold medal is a historic achievement, being the first for Algeria and any African gymnast in Olympic history.
Uneven bars is Lee’s strongest event, where she scored 14.8, her second highest in the Olympics. She competed last and opted not to increase the difficulty in her routine after observing the high scores of her opponents. After completing her routine, Lee expressed her relief and happiness.
“It feels amazing to have it over with, honestly. I was so nervous watching everyone,” she remarked. “I got to watch everyone and it put the pressure on me a little bit. But I’m really happy that it did because I feel like I did everything that I came to do.”
Suni Lee, who won a surprising gold in the individual all-around at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, faced challenges in her return to gymnastics due to serious kidney issues last year that jeopardized her career. The illness led to severe weight gain and joint swelling, leaving her uncertain about her future in the sport. She now reflects on her journey with gratitude.
“I’m so, so glad that I never gave up, because there were so many times where I thought about quitting,” she said in June after qualifying for the U.S. Olympic team.
Lee’s bronze in the uneven bars final rounds out her accomplishments in the 2024 Games, which includes a bronze in the individual all-around and a gold with the U.S. team. Her coach, Jess Graba, emphasized the significance of Lee’s comeback, noting that she had everything to lose but fought for personal fulfillment.