Boxer Imane Khelif made history by becoming the first Arab and African woman to win an Olympic gold medal in boxing.
The 25-year-old dominated the three-round welterweight fight and defeated China’s Yang Liu 5-0 at the Rolland-Garros Stadium in the ongoing Paris Olympics on Friday night.
The victory caps a remarkable nine-day run for Khelif, which began with a bizarre 46-second walkover win when Italy’s Angela Carini quit their bout due to a bloody nose.
“It was my dream to win this medal and I am very happy today that I’m an Olympic gold medallist,” Khelif told the BBC after winning the fight.
“Eight years of hard work, eight years of being too tired, eight years of no sleep – this is fantastic,” she added.
Along with Algeria’s first-ever gold medal in women’s boxing, Khelif’s victory also marks the second boxing gold for the North African nation overall, joining Hocine Soltani, who won in 1996.
However, Khelif’s path to gold was not without its challenges, as she faced misogynist remarks and online abuse across the globe because of her body appearance, which led to huge controversy and scrutiny over her gender identity.
Last year, she was disqualified from the World Championships for allegedly failing an eligibility test. However, the International Olympic Committee this time repeatedly reaffirmed the right to compete in Paris, with President Thomas Bach personally backing Khelif and calling the criticisms “hate speech”.
Allegation Imane Khelif faced
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Khelif ended up in tears in the boxing ring after a campaign of disinformation against her.
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