Wu Yu and Imane Khelif win Olympic gold in women’s boxing

Two more gold medalists in women’s boxing were awarded on Friday. In the women’s 50 kilogram flyweight division Wu Yu of China won gold, and then in the women’s 66 kilogram welterweight division, Imane Khelif of Algeria placed first.

Wu Yu

Yu is the second Chinese woman to win Olympic gold in boxing following Yuan Chang, who won the gold medal in the women’s bantamweight division on Thursday. Like the women’s bantamweight division where Chang defeated Turkey’s Hatice Akbas in the final, the women’s flyweight division had a China/Turkey gold medal bout as Yu defeated Buse Naz Cakiroglu of Turkey 4-1 in the gold medal bout. Nazym Kyzaibay of Kazakhstan and Aira Villegas of the Philippines shared bronze.

Yu beat Nikhat Zareen of India 5-0 in the second round, Chuthamat Raksat of Thailand 5-0 in the quarterfinals, and Nazym Kyzaibay of Kazakhstan 4-1 in the semifinals. At the 2023 World Women’s Boxing Championship in New Delhi, India, Yu defeated Shirine Charaabi of Italy.

Villegas was one of three athletes from the Philippines to earn a medal at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. The other two were Carlos Yulo, who won gold in the men’s floor and men’s artistic gymnastics, and Nesthy Petecio, who won bronze in the women’s featherweight division.

Imane Khelif

Khelif is the second Algerian to win an Olympic gold medal in Paris. The other is gymast Kaylia Nemour in the women’s uneven bars. In the women’s 66 kilogram division, Khelif beat Yang Liu of China 5-0 in the gold medal final. The bronze medal winners were Janjaem Suwannapheng of Thailand, and Chen Nien-chin of Chinese Taipei. Khelif also beat Angela Carini of Italy (Carini abandoned the bout), Luca Hamori of Hungary 5-0 in the quarterfinals, and Suwannapheng 5-0 in the semifinals. The final day in Olympic boxing takes place on Saturday with two more gold medal matches for the men and women.