France: The gender-controversial boxer Imane Khelif decisively defeated her Thai opponent, Janjaem Suwannapheng, to enter the finals of the women’s 66kg boxing category at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Similar to her quarter-final match against Anna Luca Hamori from Hungary, Khelif scored higher in all three rounds of the semi-final against Janjaem Suwannapheng and won 5-0. The Algerian boxer will face Yang Liu from China in the finals on August 10.
Khelif lands a punch during the semi-final match against Janjaem Suwannapheng in the women’s 66kg category at the Paris 2024 Olympics on August 6. Photo: Reuters.
By reaching the semi-finals, Khelif has already secured a medal and will become the first female athlete from Algeria to win a medal at the Olympics. Now, having earned a spot in the finals, the 25-year-old boxer is ambitious to win the historic gold medal.
“Suwannapheng fought well. But I trained for two weeks and watched how she fought through videos,” Khelif added. “I’m very happy. I’ve trained for eight years for the Olympics and am very proud of this moment. I want to thank the people back home for their support.”
Meanwhile, Suwannapheng admitted she couldn’t withstand Khelif’s strength. “I tried to capitalize on my speed, but the opponent was too strong,” the Thai boxer said. “I know about the controversies surrounding Khelif, but I’m not too concerned. Khelif is a woman and very strong.”
British newspaper Sportmail commented that Khelif entering the Olympic gold medal match would increase tensions and controversies. The Algerian boxer was previously disqualified from the 2023 Women’s World Championship final for having high testosterone levels that exceeded standards. The International Boxing Association (IBA) then intervened, conducting a DNA test on Khelif and discovering she carries the XY chromosome.
However, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) still allowed Khelif to compete at Paris 2024 as a female athlete by verifying gender through her passport and medical documents, similar to the methods used at Tokyo 2020 and other international events. This has faced opposition from fans and notable figures such as former U.S. President Donald Trump, Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling, and billionaire Elon Musk.
“I don’t care what people say about me with this controversy,” Khelif said. “All that matters to me is maintaining a high level of performance and delivering a good show. I know I have great talent, and this is a gift for all Algerians.”
Lin Yu-ting, another boxer with similar gender controversies as Khelif at Paris 2024, is also guaranteed a medal after defeating Bulgaria’s Svetlana Staneva. The Taiwanese boxer will face Esra Yildiz Kahraman from Turkey in the women’s 57kg semi-final tomorrow, August 8.
