Kaylia Nemour, Carlos Yulo, Liu Yang crowned Olympic champions on day two of event finals at Paris 2024
PARIS – As has become the custom for event finals, more history was made on the second to last day of artistic gymnastics competition at Paris 2024.
Kaylia Nemour won Algeria’s – and Africa’s – first Olympic medal in gymnastics with gold on uneven bars. Carlos Yulo won another gold for the Philippines on vault, just a day after winning the country’s first Olympic medal in gymnastics and becoming the first male gold medalist from the nation. And Liu Yang, of China, defended his Olympic title with a second straight gold on rings.
Keep reading for a play-by-play of how the day unfolded. Click here for to start from the beginning.
Sun. Aug 4 @ 5:10 p.m.
Carlos Yulo does it again! Two-time Olympic champion!
Sun. Aug 4 @ 5:07 p.m.
Artur Davtyan (ARM): 2020 Olympic bronze medalist and 2022 world champion… VT 1: Double front half, hop back. 14.966. VT 2: Front handspring Randi, beautiful through the air – one of the world’s best, hop back. 14.966 again! Average = 14.966 – he wins the silver!
Sun. Aug 4 @ 5:02 p.m.
Mahdi Olfati (IRI) VT 1: Yurchenko double pike, big air, multiple steps back and steps on the line. 14.166. VT 2: Tsuk double pike, low chest, step forward. 14.366. Average = 14.266.
Sun. Aug 4 @ 4:58 p.m.
Aurel Benovic (CRO): Qualified 3rd with a 14.733 average. Will need to do better than that here… VT 1: Double front half, small hop, very clean through the air. 15.000. VT 2: Front handspring Randi, low chest, hop forward. 14.800. Average = 14.900 – into 4th!
Sun. Aug 4 @ 4:52 p.m.
Igor Radivilov (UKR): 2012 Olympic bronze medalist… VT 1: Double front half, smallest of hops back. Him and Nazar like to copy each other with their landings! 14.900. VT 2: Tsuk double pike, falls back on the landing unfortunately. 13.433. Average = 14.166.
Sun. Aug 4 @ 4:47 p.m.
Carlos Yulo (PHI): Made history yesterday as the Philippines’ first male Olympic gold medalist, with his win on floor. VT 1: Front handspring double pike half, small hop back. 15.433! VT 2: Kas double, bit of a foot slide and a large single step. Needs a 14.467 or higher to jump into the lead… and he does it! 14.800!!! Average = 15.116! More history incoming for Carlos Yulo and the Philippines!!!???
Sun. Aug 4 @ 4:41 p.m.
Jake Jarman (GBR): Reigning world champion on this event! VT 1: Kas 2.5, whips the rotations around, gets good distance, has to take a single large step over the line. 15.100. VT 2: Double front half, large step and another smaller one as he salutes. 14.766. Average = 14.933 – 2nd behind Harry!
Sun. Aug 4 @ 4:37 p.m.
Harry Hepworth (GBR) VT 1: Double front half, same as Chepurnyi. Bit more of a hop back. 14.833. VT 2: Front handspring Randi, smallest of hops back. 15.066. Average = 14.949 – into 1st!
Sun. Aug 4 @ 4:32 p.m.
Nazar Chepurnyi (UKR): 2023 world bronze medalist and the top qualifier… Averaged a 14.833 in quals… VT 1: Double front half, small hop back. Very clean. 14.833. VT 2: Kas double with just a single step, so clean. So sharp! 14.966. Average = 14.899 – up from quals!
Sun. Aug 4 @ 4:23 p.m.
Men’s vault final coming up!
Sun. Aug 4 @ 4:16 p.m.
Kaylia Nemour is the Olympic champion! Qiu Qiyuan wins the silver! Sunisa Lee repeats with the bronze!
Sun. Aug 4 @ 4:14 p.m.
Sunisa Lee (USA) UB: Last up. Qualified 3rd with a 14.866… Toe-on laid-out Tkatchev to Bhardwaj. Van Leeuwen. Blind change to straddle Jaeger to Pak to Maloney to Gienger. Giant 1/1. Full-twisting double back, just a single step back. Stunning! What she’s been doing. So consistent. We’ll wait to see if it’s enough to knock Derwael off the podium. 14.800 – it’s the BRONZE repeat!
Sun. Aug 4 @ 4:12 p.m.
Helen Kevric (GER) UB: Qualified 8th with a 14.600… Toe 1/1 to stalder shaposh 1/2. Inbar half to piked Jaeger. Stalder piked Tkatchev to Pak. Van Leeuwen, bit of form with some soft knees, leg separation. Big full-twisting double back, bit deep in the knees and a hop forward. 14.566 – that’s 5th.
Sun. Aug 4 @ 4:09 p.m.
Kaylia Nemour (ALG) UB: Realistically the only person who can catch Qiu. Qualified in first with a 15.600… Inbar 1/1 to inbar laid-out Tkatchev (the Nemour!) to Pak to inbar shaposh to stalder 1/1 to stalder straddle Tkatchev 1/2 to Ezhova to stalder shaposh 1/2. Toe 1/1 to double layout, small hop, MASSIVE ROAR from the crowd. Oh that will be HUGE! 15.700! That will almost certainly win the title!!! Kaylia Nemour! What. A. Story!
Sun. Aug 4 @ 4:06 p.m.
Qiu Qiyuan (CHN) UB: Reigning world champion up next. Inbar half. Pirouette work to immediate laid-out Jaeger, stunning. Inbar 1/1 to stalder piked Tkatchev. Inbar piked Tkatchev to Pak. Van Leeuwen. Short on the next handstand. Full-twisting double back, perfectly stuck! Opens up perfectly and everything – just an incredible routine. Every other handstand looked perfect besides that last one. So floaty. Qualified with a 15.066. It’ll certainly go ahead of Derwael… and it’s a 15.500!! Into first by a large margin!
Sun. Aug 4 @ 3:59 p.m.
Becky Downie (GBR) UB: What is expected to be her final routine, and she gives a grin as all eyes turn to her. Toe 1/1 to stalder straddle Tkatchev 1/2 to Ezhova. Maloney to clear hip straddle Tkatchev. Stalder piked Tkatchev, and she’s off on her own skill, the Downie… devastating. Van Leeuwen. Short on the next handstand. STUCK full-twisting double back. 13.633.
Sun. Aug 4 @ 3:55 p.m.
Nina Derwael (BEL) UB: Defending Olympic champion! Can she return to the podium? Stalder piked Tkatchev to Pak to Maloney to switch grip to Ezhova to stalder shaposh to Bhardwaj. Van Leeuwen. Toe 1/1 to full-twisting double back, hop back and then small steps as she salutes. 14.766 – into 1st!
Sun. Aug 4 @ 3:51 p.m.
Alice D’Amato (ITA) UB: Alice finished 4th in the all-around. Can she win that medal here? Toe 1/1 to Maloney to straddle Tkatchev. Stalder to piked Tkatchev to stalder shaposh 1/2. Blind change. Giant 1/1 to double front, small hop back. 14.733!
Sun. Aug 4 @ 3:48 p.m.
Zhang Yihan (CHN) UB: Short on the opening handstand. Blind change to pirouette to laid-out Jaeger, beautiful. Clear hip to Tkatchev, and she misses the catch. Back on the bars, straddle Tkatchev to Pak. Maloney to Gienger. Short on the next handstand. More pirouette work. Full-twisting double back, couple steps back. 12.800.
Sun. Aug 4 @ 3:42 p.m.
They’re not doing the victory ceremonies between each final today, so first half uneven bars touch happening now.
Sun. Aug 4 @ 3:33 p.m.
Another major competition, another podium featuring two Chinese stars + Eleftherios!
Liu Yang defends his gold medal, Zou Jingyuan wins the silver – his first Olympic rings medal, and Eleftherios repeats as the Olympic bronze medalist!
Sun. Aug 4 @ 3:31 p.m.
Vahagn Davtyan (ARM) SR: Qualified 7th with a 14.733. Last competitor to go… Looking strong, but you can tell it’s not as precise as the leaders. The transitions are just a bit less smooth. Holds the saddest bit low, a bit shakier. But the dismount is super – double-twisting double layout, stuck! Pretty impressive for a near 36-year-old! 14.866 – that’s 6th. And the podium is secure!
Sun. Aug 4 @ 3:27 p.m.
Harry Hepworth (GBR) SR: Qualified 8th with a 14.700. Iron cross to Maltese is fab. A bit slow on a handstand before the dismount. You can hear the Brits clearly in the arena cheering him on. Tucked double-double, small hop. 14.800 – good for 6th right now.
Sun. Aug 4 @ 3:25 p.m.
Samir Ait Said (FRA) SR: Qualified 4th with a 14.966. Let’s see if he does his new skill – he needs something to propel him onto the podium. Opening holds are excellent. Yamawaki to Jonasson. Iron cross. Full-twisting double layout, stuck to the roar of the crowd. He didn’t do the new skill, but he’s clearly overwhelmed with emotion and happy with that performance. Waves to the crowd, big smiles. It’s a 15.000! Just off the podium in 4th right now.
Sun. Aug 4 @ 3:21 p.m.
Adem Asil (TUR) SR: Qualified 5th with a 14.866. Can the 2022 world champ win his first Olympic medal and a historic one for Turkey? Slow, controlled, perfectly precise. Excellent Yamawaki to Jonasson. Tucked double-double, just a single step. 14.966 – good for 4th right now.
Sun. Aug 4 @ 3:17 p.m.
Second half touch happening now, with the man of the hour, France’s Samir Ait Said, set to go shortly. He may try a new skill today that could bear his name and help him make the podium!
Sun. Aug 4 @ 3:15 p.m.
Glen Cuyle (BEL) SR: Qualified 4th with a 14.900. Some movement in the legs on his planche hold, looked a bit low. Rest of the routine is good until he under-rotates on the triple back and has to roll forward unfortunately. 13.833.
Sun. Aug 4 @ 3:13 p.m.
Eleftherios Petrounias (GRE) SR: Qualified with a 14.800 – he can certainly do better than that. The 2016 Olympic champion and 2020 bronze medalist. Really accentuates the movements, showing he has full control. A bit more movement in one of his handstands, but seems to get it back. Tucked double-double, stuck, and he nods his head with a smile. The crowd loves it! His friendly rival Liu is clapping on the sideline. He does improve, but a 15.100 is only good for third right now. Can he hold on to the bronze and be on three straight Olympic podiums?
Sun. Aug 4 @ 3:09 p.m.
Next up is the defending Olympic champion, Liu Yang. He qualified second with a 15.233. Transitions are textbook. Minimizing movement. Tucked double-double, small hop and fights to eliminate anymore movement. His teammate Zou stands to give him a round of applause as he ices his right shoulder… and the Olympic champ is in first with a 15.300! They swapped scores today.
Sun. Aug 4 @ 3:07 p.m.
Time to get started, and we’ll start with the top qualifier: Zou Jingyuan (CHN), who qualified with a 15.300. Holds are perfection. Inverted cross. Jonasson to Yamawaki. Tidy dismount, small hop. That should get us started with a big score. Will he win his first Olympic medal on rings? Everything Zou does seems to turn gold. 15.233 – just a bit lower than qualifying!
Sun. Aug 4 @ 2:30 p.m.
Welcome inside Bercy Arena for day two of event finals! Today’s lineup includes men’s rings, women’s uneven bars, and men’s vault. It all starts at 3 p.m. CEST/ 9 a.m. EDT.
