Algerian boxer Imane Kherif won the gold medal in the women’s 66 kg category. 2024 Paris Olympics On Friday, he defeated the current welterweight world champion, Yang Liu of China.
Kheriff won the three-round bout by unanimous decision to take his place atop the podium.
Algeria’s Imane Kherif, left, will compete against China’s Yang Liu in the women’s gold medal match at the Paris 2024 Games. (Sebastian Kahnert/Photo Alliance via Getty Images)
Kheriff won the first round on all five cards and appeared to dazzle the judges with a combination of punches in the final moments. Both boxers In the first round, Kheriff came on the offensive and quickly had Yan backed into the ropes.
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Yang fought back with the same momentum, but Kherif won the second round in similar fashion. Yang appeared to miss his chance at gold in the third round, and Kherif ended up winning the gold medal for Algeria.
Kheriff has faced intense scrutiny in a gender eligibility controversy that began with his disqualification from the 2023 International Boxing Association World Championships, the same tournament Yang won.
Algeria’s Imane Kherif, left, and China’s Yang Liu compete in the women’s 66 kg boxing final at the 2024 Olympic Games on August 9, 2024. (Mohamed Rasfan/AFP via Getty Images)
At the time, the IBA president said that Taiwanese Olympic boxer Lin Yu-tingAn athlete also set to compete in Saturday’s gold medal match was disqualified after it was discovered he had “XY chromosomes.”
But Kherif and the International Olympic Committee maintain that Algerian Olympians are eligible to compete.
Algerian boxer Imane Kherif outdoes Thai opponent to advance to gold medal match
The IOC released a statement on August 1 making it clear that all boxers competing in the women’s competition will “follow the eligibility and entry rules of the Games, as well as all medical regulations established by the Paris 2024 Boxing Unit (PBU).”
“As with previous Olympic boxing events, an athlete’s gender and age will be determined based on their passport,” the statement continued.
According to the Associated Press, Kherif did not lose any rounds on the scorecards in Paris.
Gold medalist Imane Khelif of Algeria poses on the podium during the medal ceremony for the women’s 66 kg final at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris on August 9, 2024. (Mohamed Rasfan/AFP via Getty Images)
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After beating Italy’s Angela Kalin in just 46 seconds, Kheriff defeated Hungary’s Luca Anna Hamori by unanimous decision in the quarterfinals and then defeated Thailand’s Janjaem Suwannapen by the same decision on Tuesday to reach the gold medal match.
Helif’s gold medal was the first for Algerian women’s boxing.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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