DPA
Paris
Kaylia Nemour won Algeria’s first ever Olympic gymnastics medal after grabbing gold in the women’s uneven bars on Sunday while there was also more glory for Filipino hero Carlos Edriel Yulo and China’s Liu Yang.
The 17-year-old Nemour, second in the world championships last year, was born in France so was given a rapturous reception at the Bercy Arena in Paris as she scored a huge 15.700 points.
It was also a first artistic gymnastics gold or medal for an African nation.
"I am very happy to have won this medal for Algeria. I hope I made them proud,” she said after claiming only Algeria’s sixth Olympic gold ever, with four in athletics and one in boxing.
"It’s true that the pressure was very high the last few days. But I managed to stay calm and focused. I was able to perform my routine today. It has been an intensive road the past four years.”
World champion Qiu Qiyuan of China, also 17, managed a perfect dismount for 15.500 and silver while American Sunisa Lee seized bronze to edge out Tokyo champion Nina Derwael of Belgium.
Briton Rebecca Downie, who made her Olympic debut 16 years ago in Beijing, is back in her third Games at 32 but fell off the bars to miss a medal.
US great Simone Biles did not qualify for the final of the bars, her least favourite apparatus, but is already on three golds in Paris and can win two more on the floor and beam in Monday’s finale, which also includes the men’s bars finals.
The 27-year-old has seven Olympic golds overall and is targeting Larisa Latynina’s gymnastics record of nine golds for the Soviet Union 1956-1964.
Filipino hero takes
second gold
Yulo made more history for the Philippines as he surged to the men’s gymnastics vault gold.
The 24-year-old won his nation’s second ever Games gold on Saturday on the floor and made it three with an average score of 15.116 points from his two marvellous vaults.
Armenia’s Tokyo bronze medallist Artur Davtyan upgraded to Paris silver.
First-time Olympian Harry Hepworth of Britain took a surprise bronze, his country’s first ever medal in the men’s vault.
Golden rings for Liu again
In the men’s ring final, Tokyo champion Liu took another Olympic gold after edging out fellow Chinese gymnast Zou Jingyuan.
World champion Liu, who picked up silver in the team competition won at the death by Japan last Monday, showed immense strength in the handstand and steadiness in his routine with 15.300 points.
But he was far from happy with his gold-winning performance.
"I feel there were still some flaws in today’s routine. As a perfectionist, it wasn’t perfect enough for me. But I’m very happy to have won a gold medal for China,” he said.
Zou scored 15.233 for silver while Greece’s Rio 2016 champion Eleftherios Petrounias, 33, grabbed bronze thanks to a good crucifix and impressive dismount.