Algerian boxer Imane Khelif gifted Algeria its second gold medal at the Paris Olympics on Friday evening. Khelif triumphed over her Chinese opponent, Yang Liu, in the final match of the women’s under 66 kg category, winning by a unanimous decision (5-0).
Before her Olympic gold, Khelif had secured a silver medal at the 2022 World Boxing Championships in Turkey, among other medals. Her opponent, 32-year-old Yang Liu, entered the ring as the 2023 world champion.
Khelif joins Khelia Nemmour, who had previously won Algeria’s first gold medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics in gymnastics.
Imane Khelif has now made regional and continental history as no Arab or African female boxer had ever won an Olympic medal before, regardless of its metal.
Khelif is now the seventh Algerian to win an Olympic gold medal, following 1500m runners Hassiba Boulmerka at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, Noureddine Morceli in Atlanta 1996, and Nouria Benida Merah in Sydney 2000; Taoufik Makhloufi in London 2012; boxer Hussein Soltani (deceased) in Atlanta 1996; and Khelia Nemmour.
Additionally, the 25-year-old from Tiaret province joins a select group of four Algerian female athletes who have won Olympic medals: Boulmerka, Merah, Nemmour, and judoka Soraya Haddad, who won a bronze in Beijing 2008.
With this gold, Khelif enhances her record to a total of seven medals, placing boxing as the second most successful sport for Algeria in the Olympics after athletics, which has won nine medals.
Algeria’s overall Olympic medal tally now stands at 19: 7 gold, 4 silver, and 8 bronze.
