Fans in France’s Bercy Arena can look forward to a spectacular performance when young Algerian gymnast Kaylia Nemour steps into the ring during the asymmetric bars finals on Sunday. With the opportunity to secure Algeria’s first Olympic medal in gymnastics, expectations for the 17-year-old gymnast are high.
Nemour faces tough competition as she competes against former Olympic medalists such as Belgian Nina Derwael and American Sunisa Lee. However, experts believe Nemour has what it takes to surpass them. Derwael herself acknowledged during training in Paris that if Nemour executes her routine perfectly, she will be hard to match: “If Nemour hits, there’s no chance I can come close,” Derwael stated to the press.
Nemour qualified for the finals with an impressive score of 15.600, placing her as the top qualifier. She scored more than half a point ahead of the defending world champion, Chinese gymnast Qiu Qiyuan, who secured second place with a score of 15.066. “It’s good, but it can be better,” Nemour said after qualifying. “There’s still a week until the finals, and I have room for improvement.”
On the vault, Nemour also performed a Yurchenko double twist, scoring 14.000, while her performances on the floor and the balance beam had minor errors, scoring 13.160 and 13.200 respectively. Overall, she secured a spot in the all-around finals with a total of 55.966.
Nemour, who has represented Algeria since last year following a conflict with the French Gymnastics Federation, has received a warm welcome in Paris. “I didn’t expect this,” she said earlier in the week. “It’s stressful, but overall I’m happy with my performance.” She believes the mental work she has put into her training over the past year has “paid off.”
Sunisa Lee, who qualified in third place and won bronze in the all-around finals, will face her own challenges as she is the last gymnast to perform her routine. Notably, the women’s bars final is the only medal event that does not include Simone Biles, who did not qualify for the finals and is instead the first reserve.
As it stands, Nemour could become a historic figure in Algerian gymnastics if she performs at her best during the finals. The excitement in Bercy Arena is set to celebrate the talent of this young star, who has the potential to inspire the next generation of gymnasts in her home country.