2024 Olympics: Kaylia Nemour, da Pina, Egypt and Nigeria cause a sensation

Gymnastics: Kaylia Nemour, gold and history

A resounding feat for Kaylia Nemour. At just 17 years old, the Algerian won the gold medal in the uneven bars competition at the 2024 Olympics, in gymnastics. After her 5th place in the all-around competition, she remobilized to score 15.700 that will not be equaled. Enough to give her the first Olympic title in her history, but also the very first for Algeria and all of Africa in gymnastics. She is ahead of the Chinese Qiyuan Qiu with a score of 15.500 and the American Sunisa Lee who obtained 14.800.

Boxing: David da Pina, first medal for Cape Verde

A historic medal for Cape Verde, while he was in the running for a place in the final of the boxing tournament, in the -51kg category, David da Pina saw his journey end in the semi-finals. The Cape Verdean lost to Uzbek Hasanboy Dusmatov. If his hopes of gold have flown away, he will be able to console himself with the bronze medal. With his place in the semi-finalist, he will automatically be a bronze medalist, boxing being one of the rare disciplines at the Olympic Games that awards a bronze medal to the two losers of the semi-finals. This allows David da Pina to become the very first Olympic medalist in the history of Cape Verde.

Handball: Egypt invites itself to the quarter-finals

Egypt continues to assert its supremacy in men's handball. The Pharaohs qualified for the quarter-finals of the 2024 Olympics by beating Argentina 34-27, a crucial match that allowed them to secure third place in their group. Thanks to a solid defense and an effective attack, Egypt dominated the Argentinians. Their next challenge will be against Spain, a formidable opponent who awaits them for a place in the semi-finals.

Women's basketball: Nigeria, it's amazing

Historic! Nigeria achieved a monumental feat in women's basketball by qualifying for the quarter-finals after a spectacular victory against Canada, with a score of 70-79. This victory marks a historic milestone, as it is the first time that an African team has reached this level in the Olympic basketball tournament. The match was marked by an impressive comeback by the D-Tigress who knew how to combine defensive strategy with offensive efficiency. A mountain will now stand in front of them: it will be the USA for a place in the semi-finals.

Canoe-Kayak slalom: Bourhis and Jemai stop at the gates of the quarterfinals

It is the end of the road for Yves Bourhis of Senegal and Salim Jemai of Tunisia in canoe-kayak slalom. Both were eliminated just before the quarter-finals. Despite their efforts and solid performances in the qualifications, the Senegalese and the Tunisian did not manage to reach the quarters. Nevertheless, their participation and performances highlighted the African presence in this demanding discipline.

Men's 100m: the Simbine curse

Disappointment for South Africa's Akani Simbine, who finished fourth in the men's 100m final with a time of 9.82 seconds, setting a new national record but narrowly missing out on a medal. American Fred Kerley, who finished third, clocked 9.81 seconds, narrowly edging out Simbine. It was the third time Simbine has finished fourth in an Olympic final. Meanwhile, Botswana's Letsile Tebogo finished sixth with a time of 9.86 seconds, also a new national record. Tebogo showed impressive progress and remains a hopeful for future competitions.

Men's 110m hurdles: Louis François Mendy invites himself to the semi-finals

Senegalese Louis Francois Mendy shone by finishing first in his heat with an impressive time of 13.31 seconds. This performance allows him to qualify for the semi-finals, where he hopes to continue his momentum.

Women's 200m: Gbai and Ofili respond

Ivorian Jessika Gbai finished second in her 200m heat with a time of 22.61 seconds, qualifying for the semi-finals. Her compatriot, Maboundou Koné, will have to go through the repechage to hope to qualify. On the Nigerian side, Favour Ofili dominated her 200m heat by winning first place and achieving the second fastest time of all heats. Her qualification for the semi-finals makes her one of the favorites for a medal.

The article first appeared on Sport News Africa.