August 6th 2024.
In the highly-anticipated women's 66kg boxing final at the Paris Olympics, Algeria's Imane Khelif will be facing off against Yang Liu of China. It has been a tough journey for Khelif, who had to overcome Janjaem Suwannapheng in the semi-finals to secure her spot in the gold-medal fight. The Algerian fighter's emotions were palpable as she celebrated her emphatic win, after facing intense scrutiny in the past weeks.
Khelif's participation in the women's 66kg boxing class has been met with controversy, as she was disqualified from last year's Women's World Championships for allegedly failing gender eligibility rules set by the International Boxing Association. However, Khelif has always identified as female and has competed in the women's division since birth. Despite the challenges and criticism she has faced, Khelif received tremendous support from the crowd, with Algerian flags and banners proudly displayed at Court Philippe Chatrier.
As soon as the bell rang, the crowd erupted into chants of 'Imane, Imane, Imane!', cheering on their fighter. Fueled by the rowdy atmosphere, Khelif dominated all three rounds against her Thai opponent, securing a place in the final against China's Liu. The 25-year-old has now won an impressive 12 fights in a row, a clear testament to her skill and determination. Her joy and relief were evident as she celebrated her victory with a victory jig, sending her already energetic supporters into a frenzy.
In an interview after the match, Khelif expressed her gratitude for the unwavering support of her people. "I don't care about the controversy surrounding me. All that matters to me is giving my best performance for my people. I know I am talented and this is my gift to all Algerians," she said. Looking ahead to her final bout, Khelif promised to give everything she has to secure the gold medal for her country. "I am focused, and I am here to fulfill my dream. I will give my all for the final," she declared.
Suwannapheng, who was defeated by Khelif in their previous meeting in India last year, was not afraid of facing the Algerian fighter again. She firmly believed that they were evenly matched and had improved since their last encounter. "I've prepared my body well and trained a lot. No matter how strong or tough, we are both human and we both have two fists," she stated. Despite acknowledging Khelif's past victories, Suwannapheng was determined to give her all in the fight for the gold medal. "Having come this far, I want to go all the way to the top," she said.
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