Olympics
Algeria’s Nemour becomes the first African gymnast to win an Olympic medal
Summary
- Nemour wins first medal for Algeria in Paris
- First African gymnast to win Olympic medal
- Nemour used to represent France
Algeria’s Kaylia Nemour became the first African gymnast to win an Olympic medal when she secured the gold with a breathtaking routine on the asymmetric bars at the Paris Games on Sunday that wowed the crowd in Bercy Arena.
The 17-year-old’s fast-paced routine featuring a number of complex release-and-catch manoeuvres delighted the crowd who came to support a gymnast who had previously represented France.
Fans roared and jumped to their feet as soon as Nemour completed her dismount. She immediately broke down in tears as she handed Algeria their first medal of the Paris Olympics, with her performance scoring a staggering 15.700 points.
Nemour was still in complete disbelief after the competition.
“I can’t believe this is happened,” the teenager said after winning her first gold medal at a major global competition. “This is too much. I have no words.”
Nemour was up after China’s Qiu Qiyuan, the 2023 world champion, who had executed a spectacular routine to briefly top the standings with 15.500 points.
“When I saw her result of 15.500 points, I told myself that I would really need to fight,” Nemour said. “I re-focused quickly and got the best mark of my life, and it was the right time to get it.”
The Algerian Olympic Committee issued a statement calling Nemour a legend.
“You showed the world the strength and determination of Algeria with your wonderful victory,” the statement said.
U.S. gymnast Sunisa Lee, who claimed a second successive Olympic bronze on the apparatus with 14.800 points, could be seen cheering for Nemour throughout her routine.
“I was really aiming for the third place because I knew I actually really wanted Kaylia to win, just because she’s so incredible,” Lee said.
Nina Derwael of Belgium, the champion at the Tokyo Games, finished 0.034 of a point off the podium.
British gymnast Rebecca Downie’s hopes of finishing on the podium were shattered after she fell off the apparatus while attempting her signature release-and-catch move. She finished seventh out of eight finalists.
She returned to complete her routine, nailing her dismount and broke into a smile as she saluted the crowd, ending her Olympic efforts in Paris.
-Reuters
The Olympic rings installed on the Eiffel Tower since June to celebrate the upcoming Olympic Games were removed from the Parisian monument early on Friday morning, as confirmed by an AFP photographer. But the Paris City Hall intends to replace them with a more permanent structure until 2028.
The five-coloured rings, measuring 29 metres in length and 15 metres in height, were placed between the first and second levels of the iconic iron structure on 7 June.
According to Inside the Games publication, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo wants the Olympic symbol to continue decorating the monument until the 2028 Games in Los Angeles.
But the descendants of the tower’s creator, Gustave Eiffel are opposing the move. They are insisting that the Olympic rings are aesthetically in conflict with the concept and design of the Tower.
The 30-tonne rings initially installed on the Eiffel Tower were also not designed to withstand winter weather conditions.
Olympics
Despite Egypt winning 3 medals at Paris Olympics, President Al-Sisi orders sports system overhaul
Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi ordered a comprehensive evaluation of sports federations that participatedat the Paris Olympic Games, following a mission report submitted by the country’s sports minister.
The mandate includes a thorough expenditure check and a performance review to better highlight areas of improvement and fund allocation in future Games.
Additionally, the president plans to take necessary measures against federations —such as limiting funds— that had negative results in the Paris Games.
Egypt’s participation in sports where it lacks a competitive advantage will also be limited, as the president aims to direct resources to promising athletes to ensure optimal results. The president also aims to reduce administrative and technical staff within Olympic delegations and task relevant ministries with preparing future Olympic athletes.
Al-Sisi’s Olympic overhaul is to be presented to the cabinet for approval and urged the government to prioritise amending the sports law for the House of Representatives for review.
Egypt took home a total of three medals in the Summer Games. Ahmed El-Gendy triumphed in modern pentathlon, Sara Samir claimed the silver in weightlifting, and 21-year-old fencer Mohamed El-Sayed earned the bronze.
-Insidethegames
Paris 2024 sold a record 12 million tickets for the Olympics and Paralympics, beating the Games record previously set by London 2012, organisers said on Sunday.
Some 9.5 million tickets were sold for the Olympics and 2.5 million for the Paralympics, which end on Sunday.
In 2012, London organisers set the record for the Paralympics with 2.7 million tickets sold but only 8.2 million were sold for the Olympics.
-Reuters
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