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10th August 2024
09:29am BST
Imane Khelif, the Algerian boxer at the centre of a gender row at the Paris games, became an Olympic champion on Friday night after winning welterweight gold.
The 25-year-old broke down in tears as the medal was placed around her neck, and she described how the recent attacks against her added a "special taste" to her success.
Imane Khelif after receiving her Women's Welterweight Olympic Gold medal 🥺🥇#Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/z8j0QtJsEN
— Eurosport (@eurosport) August 9, 2024
Khelif and another boxer, featherweight Lin Yu-Ting of Chinese Taipei, have been fighting under a cloud in France after the Algerian’s opening victory over Angela Carini, who quit after 46 seconds.
The Italian took a punch to the face early on in the first round and immediately walked to her corner and signalled she would not carry on, refusing to shake the hand of her opponent.
Khelif was banned from competing in a gold medal match in Delhi by the International Boxing Association last year after failing an eligibility test but has been permitted to fight at these Olympics.
Last night, she comfortably beat China's Yang Liu by unanimous decision to win gold in the women's welterweight final.
She won each of the three rounds on the judges' scorecards and jumped into the arms of her trainer when the decision was announced.
He carried the 25-year-old - who proudly held the Algerian flag high above her head - around the arena on his shoulders in celebration.
Speaking to the media via an interpreter after her triumph, Khelif said: "For eight years, this has been my dream, and I'm now the Olympic champion and gold medalist."
Asked about the row, she told reporters: "That also gives my success a special taste because of those attacks."
"I'm fully qualified to take part in this competition," she added. "I'm a woman like any other woman. I was born as a woman, I live as a woman, and I am qualified."
"8 years no sleep .. now I'm Olympic champion." - Imane Khelif 🇩🇿🥇 pic.twitter.com/mWiOF9cknG
— Algeria FC (@Algeria_FC) August 10, 2024
Throughout the fight, Algerian fans could be heard cheering their competitor on with the zaghrouta, a high-pitched staccato chant.
Footage shared to X showed gatherings of people on the streets of Algiers celebrating Khelif's victory.
Thousands of people in Algeria celebrating Imane Khelif’s Gold medal victory at the #Olympics.
— Pop Base (@PopBase) August 9, 2024
pic.twitter.com/UkLDG3VWs8
Khelif had previously said that winning gold would be the "best response" to her critics.
After the decision was announced in the ring last night, Khelif's opponent, Yang Liu of China, embraced her with a smile.
The newly-crowned Olympic women's welterweight champion was also pictured posing with her fellow boxing medalists after the fight.
The other medalists showing Imane Khelif how to do a finger heart 😭🫶 pic.twitter.com/FiDAnrhAWa
— Women Posting W's (@womenpostingws) August 10, 2024
