2026 Artistic Gymnastics World Cup: Kaylia Nemour and Lehna Salem Represent Algeria in Cottbus
The Algerian Gymnastics Federation announced that Olympic champion Kaylia Nemour and her compatriot Lehna Salem will take part in the first stage of the 2026 Artistic Gymnastics World Cup (apparatus) from Feb 19 to 22 in Cottbus, Germany.
This competition will mark Nemour’s first international outing of the 2026 season, opening a new year under the banner of ambition and top-level challenges. The prestigious Cottbus stage will bring together the world elite of artistic gymnastics, and the Algerian will compete for the national colours on the uneven bars and balance beam.
The Federation expressed its full support to the gymnast, wishing her “full success and achievement” at this opening event.
Algeria will also be represented by gymnast Lehna Salem, entered in floor exercise, vault and uneven bars.
Salem, born in 1996 in Oran, boasts a notable continental record. She won a silver and a bronze medal at the 2019 African Games, as well as two bronze medals at the African Artistic Gymnastics Championships in 2022 and 2023. At the 2023 Arab Games in Oran, she claimed gold on balance beam and silver on uneven bars.
Currently Salem trains and competes in France, where she works as both gymnast and coach at a club in Dijon alongside Nemour and their coach Nadia Masi.
The participation of both athletes in Cottbus is an important step in preparing for international season goals in 2026, with the objective of confirming the progression of Algerian artistic gymnastics on the global stage.
With six stages held from Germany to Egypt via Qatar, the World Cup series offers a platform for young talents and established stars to regularly compete against the world’s best. (After the first stage in Cottbus (Feb 19–22), the competition will continue in Baku (Azerbaijan), Antalya (Turkey), Cairo (Egypt), Osijek (Croatia) and conclude in Doha (Qatar) from April 14 to 18.
Among the 2025 World Cup champions are medalists from the World Championships such as Artur Davtyan (ARM), Nazar Chepurnyi (UKR) and Milad Karimi (KAZ), as well as Slovenian Olympian Lucija Hribar and Jayla Hang (USA). Several of the ten title holders are expected to compete in Cottbus this weekend, along with world and Olympic champion Kaylia Nemour.
