After her victory over Yang Liu from China, Imane Khelif expressed immense joy through smiling, dancing, and celebrating. She became the inaugural Algerian, Arab, and African woman to secure an Olympic boxing gold medal at the Paris Games. At 25, she showcased a commanding performance in the three-round welterweight bout, earning a unanimous decision from the judges at Rolland-Garros Stadium on Friday night.
The Algerian boxer, who had previously been involved in a gender eligibility controversy, faced no significant challenges during the match, buoyed by the enthusiastic support of the Algerian crowd at Court Philippe-Chatrier.
The controversy stemmed from a 2023 decision by the now-banned International Boxing Association (IBA) that disqualified her due to a gender eligibility test, which the International Olympic Committee (IOC) later deemed arbitrary and unjustified.
Her fans, waving Algerian flags, greeted her entrance with loud cheers and maintained their support throughout the fight. Their encouragement continued until the medal ceremony, where Khelif stood proudly with her gold medal at the center of the podium.
Khelif shared her excitement after the victory, stating, “Achieving this medal was a dream come true, and I’m thrilled to be an Olympic gold medallist.” She further remarked on the effort involved, noting, “After eight years of intense training, fatigue, and sleepless nights, this accomplishment is truly amazing.”
The 66kg match concluded a hectic night of medal bouts at the games.
Yang started strong, pressing Khelif in the first round, but the Algerian from northwestern Algeria held her ground. Khelif countered effectively towards the end of the round, securing a clear victory.
In the second round, Khelif continued her relentless performance, and despite Yang’s attempts to rally, she was unable to gain the upper hand.
By the third round, Yang’s aggression waned. Khelif capitalized on this, while Yang missed several shots and appeared to concede defeat.
Algeria is celebrating today
She stepped to the center of the ring for the referee to raise her left hand as the winner and then greeted the crowd before performing her signature dance around the ring.
This joyful moment was a sharp contrast to the end of her quarterfinal match, where she had been in tears while hugging her team.
After exiting the ring, Khelif was hoisted onto her team members’ shoulders and paraded around the arena, enjoying the applause while waving the Algerian flag.
The proud fighter expressed her thanks to the large crowd of Algerian supporters present, as well as those who supported her worldwide despite the gender dispute.
“I’m grateful to all the Algerians here in Paris, across the globe, and back home,” she said post-fight. “I appreciate all the support from my country and my team, including my coach. Thank you very much.”
“Today, Algeria is celebrating.”
