Imane Khelif, the Algerian boxer in gender row, wins Olympics women’s 66kg category semifinal
Khelif will fight China’s Yang Liu for a chance at gold at the Paris Olympics.
Imane Khelif, the Algerian boxer, embroiled in a major gender controversy at the Paris Olympics won her semi-final on Tuesday to guarantee at least a silver medal.
Imane Khelif defeated Thailand’s 2023 world silver medallist Janjaem Suwannapheng in a unanimous points decision to march into Friday’s final in the women’s 66kg category in front of a raucous Roland Garros crowd that chanted her name.
Thai boxer Janjaem, who had a clear height disadvantage, took a standing count in the third round after feeling the full power of the superior Algerian.
The 25-year-old Imane Khelif will fight China’s Yang Liu for a chance at gold at the Paris Olympics.
Khelif and Lin both fought at the Tokyo Olympics three years ago but there was no controversy at the time and neither won a medal.
However, both were disqualified from last year’s world championships after failing gender eligibility tests but were cleared to compete in Paris.
