New Delhi: Algerian boxer Imane Khelif is guaranteed of a medal at the Paris Olympics 2024 following his win over Hungary’s Luca Anna Hamori in the quarterfinals of women’s 66kg category at the North Paris Arena on Saturday. Despite facing the backlash over her gender eligibility, the 25-year-old Khelif has remained undetered on her quest for a podium finish.
Ahead of their bout, Luca Anna Hamori expressed her concerns over Khelif’s participation in the women’s boxing event at this Summer Games, though she has been competing as a women athlete over the years, including her appearance at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics Games. The Hungarian said ‘it’s not fair’ for the Algerian to compete in women’s event after the International Boxing Association (IBA) banned her from the World Championship last year for failing to meet gender eligibility tests.
Khelif won against Hamori in three rounds with a unanimous points decision to advance to the semifinal stage. The duo embraced at the end, before the judges’ verdict was delivered, and an animated Khelif left the ring in tears.
OFF TO THE NEXT ROUND!
An incredible win by Imane Khelif to shut up all the haters 🤫
We keep moving 🇩🇿🥊 pic.twitter.com/04FcTqoD4M
— Algeria FC (@Algeria_FC) August 3, 2024
This means the Algerian will return home with a medal hanged around her neck as all semifinalists in boxing are assured of a medal, though the colour will depend on the results of semifinals and finals. The losers of the two semifinals will take the bronze medal home.
Khelif will next face Janjaem Suwannapheng of Thailand in the last four on Tuesday for a place in the final.
“This is a matter of dignity and honour for every woman or female,” the 25-year-old Khelif told BeIN Sports.
“The entire Arab people have known me for years. For years I have been boxing in international federation competitions, they (IBA) were unfair with me. But I have God,” she added.
How to boxers face wrath of gender row at Paris Olympics 2024
Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting can also guarantee herself at least a bronze medal on Sunday when she faces Bulgaria’s Svetlana Staneva in the quarter-finals of the women’s 57kg. Khelif and Lin were disqualified from last year’s world championships, run by the International Boxing Association (IBA), after failing gender eligibility tests.
The controversy ignited on Thursday when Khelif needed just 46 seconds to force an abandonment against her teary-eyed Italian opponent Angela Carini. An outrage across the globe has been ensued with many calling out the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) failure to allow ‘men’s pariticipation in women events’. However, the IOC has backed Khelif’s participation, stating that it was under the eligibility and entry guidelines of the committee.
Algerian boxer Imane Khelif is guaranteed of a medal at the Paris Olympics 2024 following his win over Hungary’s Luca Anna Hamori in the quarterfinals of women’s 66kg category at the North Paris Arena on Saturday. Other Sports Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
