The Algerian fighter comfortably overcame her Chinese rival in last night’s final.
Imane Khelif, the Algerian boxer at the centre of a gender row at the Paris games, became an Olympic champion last 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.
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.
