In Paris, France, 71 kg boxer Omari Jones faced off against Rami Kiwan of Bulgaria and Kan Chia Wei of Chinese Taipei, securing victories in both fights with a score of 5-0. Following these triumphs, the 21-year-old athlete from Orlando, Florida, competed against Asadkhuja Muydinkhujaev of Uzbekistan, experiencing a tight contest in which he lost with a score of 3-2, ultimately earning a bronze medal. USA Boxing noted that Jones “needed a knockout or a 10-8 score from one of the judges to sway the decision in his favor.” Omari’s exceptional performance made him the sole boxer among the eight Americans in the sport to bring home a medal, marking a historic accomplishment as the first American boxer to do so since Andre Ward’s gold win at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece.
Algeria’s boxer Imane Khelif took a significant step towards the gold-medal bout in the women’s welterweight division at the Paris Olympics on Tuesday night. This victory was more than just a win, as she considers it a strong response to the global scrutiny she has endured due to misconceptions about her gender.
Securing a spot in the gold-medal bout would not only mean a historic moment for Khelif but also for Algeria, marking the country’s first gold medal in women’s boxing and the second in the sport overall.
The semifinals saw Khelif triumph over Janjaem Suwannapheng of Thailand with a decisive 5:0 victory at Roland Garros. The crowd’s deafening cheers and repetitive chants of her name during the intense three-round fight undoubtedly fueled her performance. With three consecutive wins under her belt in Paris, she is now on track to claim either a gold or a silver medal, with her final challenge set against Yang Liu of China on Friday.
While Khelif has excelled within the ring amidst her Paris journey, she has also grappled with criticism and stigmatization beyond its confines. These challenges stem from the decision of the International Boxing Association to disqualify her and fellow Paris medalist Lin Yu-ting of Chinese Taipei from the world championships last year, citing an alleged failure to meet eligibility requirements.