Imane Khelif, the boxer representing Team Algeria, will compete for an Olympic gold medal on Friday. She set aside the controversy surrounding her eligibility and defeated Janjaem Suwannapheng handily to go to the final of the 2017 Paris Games.
The International Boxing Association (IBA) excluded the Algerian welterweight competitor from last year’s World Championships due to her alleged failure to pass gender eligibility tests. Nevertheless, she is one of two boxers fighting in Paris.
Khelif outperformed her Thai opponent and won by unanimous vote while there was raucous cheering beneath the rooftop bars.
In the gold-medal match, she will compete against either Chinese Liu Yang or Taiwanese Chen Nien-chin. Algeria has never taken home a gold medal in boxing.
