Algeria’s Kaylia Nemour captured the gold medal in the Olympic uneven bars final, while U.S. gymnast Suni Lee secured the bronze medal. This marks Lee’s third medal at the 2024 Summer Olympics, a significant achievement following her battle with kidney disease that nearly ended her gymnastics career.
In the final held at Bercy Arena in Paris, Nemour, a 17-year-old gymnast, scored 15.7 points to take the gold. She finished ahead of China’s Qiu Qiyuan, also 17, who garnered silver with a score of 15.5. For Nemour, born and raised in France, this victory is particularly meaningful as it is the first Olympic title for Algeria and all African gymnasts.
Lee, who performed last, achieved a score of 14.8, her second-best on the uneven bars this Olympic cycle, following her score in the individual all-around where she also won bronze. Despite witnessing high scores from her competitors, Lee decided to maintain the difficulty level of her routines, prioritizing consistency over risk.
After completing her routine, Lee expressed her relief and satisfaction. “It feels amazing to have it over with,” she shared. “I was so nervous watching everyone… but I’m really happy that it did, because I feel like I did everything that I came to do.”
Following her unexpected gold medal in the individual all-around at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, Lee aimed to return to the Olympics in Paris. However, her journey faced setbacks last year due to severe kidney conditions that led to early retirement from college gymnastics. These health issues involved rapid weight gain and significant swelling, which hindered her ability to perform.
Reflecting on her journey, Lee remarked, “I’m so, so glad that I never gave up, because there were so many times where I thought about quitting.” The bronze on Sunday rounds out her performance in the 2024 Games, which also included a bronze in the individual all-around and a gold in the team event. Her coach, Jess Graba, noted the significance of Lee’s comeback, emphasizing that it was about proving something to herself rather than external expectations.