Paris 2024 Olympics: Algeria's Imane Khelif seals boxing medal after quarter-final win

Khelif assured of bronze after unanimous win over Hungary's Luca Anna Hamori

Imane Khelif of Algeria celebrates victory over Hungary's Anna Luca Hamori in their women's 66kg quarter-final at the Paris Olympics on Saturday, August 3, 2024. Getty Images

Algeria's Imane Khelif won her quarter-final on Saturday, ensuring at least a bronze. Getty Images

Algeria's Imane Khelif, left, won the women's 66kg quarter-final by unanimous decision. AP

Imane Khelif, left, secured the first Olympic boxing medal for Algeria since 2000. AP

Imane Khelif after her win at North Paris Arena. Getty Images

Imane Khelif defeated Anna Luca Hamori in their quarter-final comfortably. Getty Images

Imane Khelif and Anna Luca Hamori greet each other after the bout. Getty Images

Follow the latest news on the 2024 Paris Olympics

Algerian boxer Imane Khelif put the controversy over her gender behind her as she secured a comfortable win in her welterweight quarter-final at the Paris Olympics on Saturday.

Khelif beat Hungary's Luca Anna Hamori by unanimous decision to guarantee herself at least bronze at the Games. Khelif's win on Saturday also ensured Algeria's first Olympic boxing medal since 2000.

Khelif comfortably beat Hungary's Hamori to reach the last four of the women's 66kg category. Losing semi-finalists in boxing both take home bronze.

The duo embraced at the end, before the judges' verdict was delivered, and Khelif left the ring in tears.

“This is a matter of dignity and honour for every woman or female,” the 25-year-old told beIN Sports.

“The entire Arab people have known me for years. For years I have been boxing in international federation competitions, they [IBA] were unfair with me. But I have God.”

Khelif had earlier found herself in the centre of controversy after she won her welterweight bout over Italian Angela Carini in 46 seconds, with her opponent pulling out of the bout.

Khelif and Taiwan's Lin Yu-ting have been in eye of a gender storm – and inaccurate information – because both were disqualified at the 2023 world championships.

The Russian-led International Boxing Association – which has been banished from the Olympics by the IOC – removed the boxers from the world championships 16 months ago in India citing gender-based tests that are still unspecified and unproven.

IOC president Thomas Bach said the “hate speech” directed at boxers Khelif and Yu-ting at the Paris Olympics is “totally unacceptable.”

“We will not take part in a politically motivated … cultural war,” Bach said on Saturday, hoping to draw a line under days of global scrutiny about the female boxers' gender.

“What is going on in this context in the social media with all this hate speech, with this aggression and abuse, and fuelled by this agenda, is totally unacceptable,” the International Olympic Committee leader said.

Meanwhile, Tunisia's Ahmed Jaouadi continued to impress in the pool as he won his 1500m freestyle heat at the Games.

Jaouadi, 19, had narrowly missed out on a medal when he finished fourth in the 800m freestyle final on Wednesday. There, Ireland's Daniel Wiffin clinched gold, Bobby Finke of USA silver and Italy's Gregorio Paltrinieri bronze.

Jaouadi faced Finke again today but finished 1.11 seconds ahead of the reigning champion in a time of 14.44.20 in the heat.

That was third fastest time across all the heats, 3.86 seconds behind Wiffen and 1.64 second behind Paltrinieri. The Tunisian will fancy his chances in the final that is set to take place on Sunday (8.37pm UAE time).

Jaouadi’s emergence has come at an opportune moment as Egyptian Marwan El Kamash, one of the leading names in distance swimming, did not start his 1500m heat.

Jaouadi, meanwhile, will be hoping to go one better than his showing in 800m freestyle.

He had secured his place in the final by smashing his own personal best time in the semi-final, but fell short in the final.

His time of 7:42.83 in the final was a shade slower than a personal best of 7:42.07 set in the semi-final.

Also, Algeria’s Kaylia Nemour will be the firm favourite to land an Olympic medal in the uneven bars final at the Bercy Arena on Sunday.

The young Algerian is aiming to clinch her country’s first Olympic gymnastics medal. And while the feat will not come easy as the bar line-up boasts the gold and bronze medallists from Tokyo – Belgian Nina Derwael and American Sunisa Lee – they are expected to fall short of the 17-year-old Nemour.

French-born Nemour qualified in first place on uneven bars with a huge total of 15.600, more than half a point above the second qualifier and reigning world champion, Qiu Qiyuan of China.

The women’s bar final is the only medal event that will not feature Simone Biles, who qualified in ninth.