Imane Khelif’s remarkable Olympic journey still has one final round to go. At a vibrant, humid, and increasingly electrifying Roland Garros, Algeria’s fifth seed dominated Janjaem Suwannapheng from Thailand to secure victory in the women’s 66kg semi-final and set up a championship clash with Yang Liu of China on Friday.
This event was extraordinary for several reasons, particularly due to its lively Algerian atmosphere. The long line outside Roland Garros before the evening’s Olympic boxing rounds was filled with Algerian flags and football jerseys, while the center court, transformed into a stunning boxing venue, also sported the colors of red and green.
The support for Khelif from the Algerian diaspora in Paris has grown, showcasing the reception of the events over the last two weeks back home.
This week has been remarkable in this narrative, as both Khelif and Lin Yu-ting from Chinese Taipei have secured their spots on the medal podium, with both reaching the semi-finals (boxing awards two bronzes to ensure every competitor receives recognition for their effort).
Both fighters have become the focus of one of the most intense and tumultuous stories of the Paris 2024 Olympics, further fueled by a chaotic, last-minute press conference held by the International Boxing Federation in a Paris hotel.
It was, of course, the IBA that prohibited both Khelif and Lin from participating in last year’s world championships based on swab and blood tests suggesting their ineligibility for the women’s event.
Khelif and Suwannapheng entered the arena at 10:25 PM, and by that time, Algerian flags filled the venue, waving enthusiastically from every corner. Suwannapheng received plenty of cheers from the crowd, while Khelif was greeted with raucous whistles, her supporters dancing in the aisles and chanting: “Imane, Imane!”
There was a peculiar sense of circularity to this Olympic semi-final – a dramatic rematch following Khelif’s previous victory over Suwannapheng at the world championship before her disqualification.
Suwannapheng had triumphed over the reigning gold medallist and favorite, Busenaz Surmeneli, to reach this stage. With her exceptional foot speed, she effectively found gaps in Khelif’s defense early in the bout.
Khelif, being the taller of the two, utilized her reach advantage, staying at a distance where she could effectively score with her jab and long straight right. The first round was chaotic at times, with all variations of tactics being employed, but Khelif won it 10-9 across all judges’ scorecards.
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Roland Garros has replaced the North Paris Arena business park as the finals venue, akin to transitioning from a charming old National League stadium to the prestigious Augusta National Golf Club. The space is remarkable, every detail impeccably crafted, the roof enhancing the acoustics into a vibrant echo chamber, but also creating a stifling environment that compelled trainers to fan their boxers with towels between rounds.
To find success in the second round, Suwannapheng needed to close the distance but faced challenges evading Khelif’s jab. Khelif landed several powerful uppercuts and maintained control, winning the second round with the same score.
In the third round, Suwannapheng had no choice but to increase her pace and close in, but the atmosphere at Roland Garros was already in a pre-celebratory frenzy, with each combination generating cheers. A standing count against Suwannapheng elicited a wave of noise from the crowd. As the final decision was announced, Khelif playfully wagged her finger and strolled around the ring to the crowd’s eruption, then proceeded to joyfully dance in celebration.
After the match, Khelif faced a swarm of international media in what’s likely one of the most intense Olympic boxing mixed zones ever, stopping to speak with Algerian TV, appearing calm, unscathed, and thrilled to have advanced. Beyond the pursuit of a featherweight gold medal, that final promises to be a truly memorable event.
