Imane Khelif’s path through the 2024 Olympics — through the victories in her fights and the gender controversy that has overshadowed those wins — has ended with a gold medal.
Khelif, a 25-year-old from Algeria, defeated China’s Yang Liu on Friday by a 5-0 decision to secure the top spot in her welterweight boxing division.
She won the first two rounds and that set the stage for a celebration following the third one, which included an emotional medal ceremony where Khelif received plenty of support from fans in attendance at Roland Garros.
“For eight years, this has been my dream, and I’m now the Olympic champion and gold medalist,” Khelif said through an interpreter, per the Associated Press.
Gold medallist Imane Khelif of Team Algeria kisses her medal during the Boxing Women’s 66kg medal ceremony. Getty Images
Imane Khelif of Algeria in action against Liu Yang of China. REUTERS
Her time in Paris, though, was filled with the lingering effects of a controversy that started last year when she was disqualified from the world championships — along with Taiwan boxer Lin Yu-ting — for allegedly failing a gender test issued by the International Boxing Association.
Yu-ting, who has a gold medal fight on Saturday in her division, has blasted that test as “false” and said that the process “didn’t follow any standards.”
Khelif added that winning was extra special with all of the recent detractors. “That also gives my success a special taste because of those attacks,” she said.
Algeria’s Imane Khelif and China’s Yang Liu (Blue) compete in the women’s 66kg final boxing match during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. AFP via Getty ImagesKhelif, according to the AP, said earlier in the week that she didn’t “care about that” controversy, which has followed her throughout her dominant victories.
“I wish to be ready and show a good standard, show my talent, because I want to entertain everyone,” Khelif, who has always identified as female, said, according to the Associated Press.
The controversy began after Khelif defeated Italy’s Angela Carini in just 46 seconds to start her first fight, with Carini withdrawing and saying that “this is unjust.”
Imane Khelif of Team Algeria celebrates winning the gold medal with Team Algeria Coaches Mohamed Chaoua and Mohamed Al-Shawa after the Boxing Women’s 66kg Final match against Liu Yang of Team China on day fourteen of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Roland Garros on August 09, 2024 in Paris, France. Getty ImagesThen, just days later, she started crying after advancing to the quarterfinals with a 5-0 win against Hungary’s Anna Luca Hamori, and that was followed by telling reporters that, “I am a woman.”
She then defeated Thailand’s Janjaem Suwannapheng — with another 5-0 decision — in the semifinals to make the gold-medal match.
And by the end of the Olympics, Khelif had done more than enough to win a gold medal.
