Imane Khelif, the Algerian boxer who clinched the gold medal in the women’s welterweight division at the Paris 2024 Olympics, has described her victory as having a “special taste” due to the challenges she faced regarding her gender eligibility.
Khelif, who was disqualified from the World Championships a year ago over gender eligibility issues, overcame these controversies to secure gold by defeating Chinese world champion Yang Liu with a unanimous decision over five rounds.
In a powerful statement after her win, the 25-year-old Khelif asserted, “I am fully qualified to take part in this competition. I am a woman like any other woman. I was born a woman. I have lived as a woman. I competed as a woman – there is no doubt about that.”
Khelif also expressed her frustration over what she described as “bullying” and claimed that the International Boxing Association (IBA) had an unwarranted animosity towards her.
The Algerian’s performance was met with enthusiastic support from her home country’s fans, who filled the arena with green, white, and red flags. Khelif, visibly confident and elated, celebrated her victory with a dance at the final bell, and her post-fight embrace with Liu highlighted the sportsmanship of the event.
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Following the confirmation of her win, Liu raised Khelif’s arm in solidarity, and the new champion was paraded around the arena on her coach’s shoulders, amidst a rapturous celebration.
In contrast to the earlier drama of her opening bout against Italy’s Angela Carini, Khelif’s final win was marked by emotional moments as she was applauded by fellow competitors, including Lin Yu-ting, who was also banned last year under similar circumstances.
As Khelif’s tears flowed during the playing of the Algerian national anthem, the boxing world watched as she solidified her place as an inspirational figure, not only for her athletic prowess but also for her resilience in overcoming adversity.
