Algerian boxer Imane Khelif could not hold back her tears after defeating her Hungarian opponent Luca Anna Hamori in the 33rd Olympic Games currently being held in France.
Khalif, who competes in the 66kg weight class, secured an Olympic medal for Algeria with a crushing 5-0 victory. The fight took place yesterday, Saturday, and was emotional not only because of the victory, but also because of the personal challenges Khelif has faced recently.
The Algerian boxer was subjected to harsh criticism and doubts about her gender after winning her first fight, which led to negative comments and objections from her Italian opponent Angela Carini, who withdrew from the fight after only 46 seconds.
The controversy surrounding Khelif escalated after Carini’s statements claiming that she had never received such a strong blow before, which raised questions about the biological differences between athletes. Khelif nevertheless showed strength in her next fight.
Khalifa previously won the gold medal at the African Boxing Championships, the silver medal at the Women’s World Boxing Championships in Istanbul, Turkey in May 2022, and participated in the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics (held in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic) but did not win a medal.
Libyan-Algerian-Tunisian agreement to enhance economic cooperation and inter-trade