China's Liu Yang competes in the artistic gymnastics men's rings final during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the Bercy Arena in Paris, on August 4, 2024. (Photo by Loic VENANCE / AFP)
Paris: Liu Yang of China defended his Olympic gymnastics title on still rings, posting a score of 15.300 to edge teammate Zou Jingyuan in the finals on Sunday.
The 29-year-old Liu is the third man to win multiple Olympic titles in an event that requires strength and impeccable body control, joining Albert Azaryan of Russia and Akinori Nakayama of Japan.
Elftherios Petrounias of Greece earned the bronze. Petrounias has won a medal on rings in three straight Games. He was the champion in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro and a bronze medalist in Tokyo three years ago.
The difference between Liu's 15.300 and Zou's 15.233 came on the dismount. Zou hopped a couple of times after hitting the mat while Liu's bounce was considerably smaller.
Samir Ait Said of France finished fourth, eight years after memorably breaking his left leg on vault in Rio. Said, who already has committed to trying to make it to Los Angeles 2028, roared after his dismount in front of a highly partisan crowd inside Bercy Arena. The crowd met Said's score of 15.000 with whistles of displeasure.
The women's uneven bars and men's vault finals were later Sunday. American Sunisa Lee will look for her third medal in Paris after winning gold in the team event and bronze in the all-around. She claimed bronze on bars behind defending champion Nina Derwael of Belgium in Tokyo three years ago.
The men's vault final is also scheduled Sunday. Jake Jarman of Britain is the reigning world champion in a field that includes Carlos Yulo of the Philippines, who won the second-ever gold medal at the Summer Games for his country when he claimed the floor exercise title on Saturday.
