PARIS — Taiwanese boxer Lin Yu-Ting won the gold medal in the featherweight category at the Olympic Games on Saturday, a day after Algeria’s Imane Khalif did the same in the welterweight division.
Both fighters climbed to the top of the podium and thus responded to the storm of comments that surrounded them in Paris due to a series of misconceptions about their gender.
Lin defeated Poland’s Julia Szeremeta 5-0 in the final at Roland Garros. Thus, she crowned herself undefeated in four consecutive bouts in Paris and ensured that Taiwan’s first medal at these Olympic Games was gold.
On Friday, Khalif dominated against China’s Yang Liu in the final to give Algeria its first medal in the history of women’s boxing.
Both boxers persevered amid criticism and speculation about their gender during the Games. They ultimately delivered the best performances of their boxing careers.
Lin won all four of her bouts by unanimous decision from all five judges, although unlike Khalifa, she did not win every round.
