Imane Khelif claimed Olympic gold in the women’s welterweight boxing division at Paris 2024, overcoming a year of controversy following her disqualification from the World Championships due to a gender eligibility test.
The Algerian boxer, 25, defeated Chinese world champion Yang Liu by unanimous decision in a match marked by Khelif’s dominance and flair.
As the final bell rang, Khelif was seen celebrating and dancing, confident of her victory, while the pair shared a warm embrace.
“I am very happy,” Khelif told the BBC. “It is my dream. It is fantastic. Amazing. Eight years of work, no sleep. I want to thank all of the people in Algeria. I am a strong woman.”
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The result was celebrated by the Algerian supporters in the arena, who waved their national flags in jubilation. Khelif was lifted on the shoulders of her coach, a stark contrast to the tense scenes that followed her opening bout against Italy’s Angela Carini.
Yang Liu, who showed sportsmanship by raising Khelif’s arm in victory, contrasted the earlier controversies, while Khelif’s Games, one of the most extraordinary and debated in recent memory, ended on a high note for the Algerian fighter.
Lin Yu-ting, another boxer affected by the same ruling, is set to compete in her final on Saturday. Meanwhile, Imane Khelif stood atop the podium, with tears in her eyes as the Algerian anthem played, receiving applause from all her fellow medallists.
