Algeria’s Boxing Champion Khelif Targets Second Olympic Gold in LA

Imane Khelif. (AFP)
Imane Khelif. (AFP)
TT

Algeria’s Boxing Champion Khelif Targets Second Olympic Gold in LA

Imane Khelif. (AFP)
Imane Khelif. (AFP)

Algeria's Imane Khelif, who won Paris Olympics boxing gold amid a gender-eligibility row, is determined to defend her title at the 2028 Los Angeles Games and says she will not be intimidated by US President Donald Trump.

Trump signed an executive order banning transgender women from female sports in the United States last month and called Khelif "a male boxer" in his speech after signing the order.

"I will give you a straightforward answer, I am not transgender," she told ITV in an interview.

"This does not concern me, and it does not intimidate me."

Khelif said she dreamed of retaining her title in California.

"Second gold medal, of course. In America, Los Angeles ... I (will) defend with everything this gold medal," she said.

"I believe that if the old Imane operated at 50% of her potential, then the Imane Khalif of today is even more motivated and determined."

Khelif was disqualified by the International Boxing Association at the 2023 world championships after a test that the body said rendered her ineligible to fight as a woman on the grounds of gender.

The IBA lost its Olympic recognition over governance issues, however, and the International Olympic Committee cleared Khelif to compete in Paris, aggressively defending its position after heavy criticism.

A rival body to the IBA, World Boxing, was given provisional recognition as the international governing body of the sport last month.

The recommendation still requires final approval by the IOC at its session in Greece and outgoing President Thomas Bach said he was confident the session would approve it.

"At this point, I can say that the IBA is a thing of the past," Khelif said. "As we say in Algeria, those who have nothing to hide should have no fear."

"I hope the next president of the IOC leads with true sportsmanship, stays committed to Olympic principles, and upholds the values of fair play," she said.



Swiatek Recovers from 0-6 Loss in 1st Set to Beat Keys in Madrid Quarterfinals

Tennis - Madrid Open - Park Manzanares, Madrid, Spain - April 30, 2025 Poland's Iga Swiatek celebrates after winning her quarter final match against Madison Keys of the US REUTERS/Ana Beltran
Tennis - Madrid Open - Park Manzanares, Madrid, Spain - April 30, 2025 Poland's Iga Swiatek celebrates after winning her quarter final match against Madison Keys of the US REUTERS/Ana Beltran
TT

Swiatek Recovers from 0-6 Loss in 1st Set to Beat Keys in Madrid Quarterfinals

Tennis - Madrid Open - Park Manzanares, Madrid, Spain - April 30, 2025 Poland's Iga Swiatek celebrates after winning her quarter final match against Madison Keys of the US REUTERS/Ana Beltran
Tennis - Madrid Open - Park Manzanares, Madrid, Spain - April 30, 2025 Poland's Iga Swiatek celebrates after winning her quarter final match against Madison Keys of the US REUTERS/Ana Beltran

Iga Swiatek recovered after losing the first six games of the match to defeat Madison Keys 0-6, 6-3, 6-2 and stay on track to defend her title at the Madrid Open on Wednesday.
Swiatek was overpowered by Keys early in their quarterfinal but eventually found a way to rally past the fifth-ranked American on center court, The Associated Press reported.
“It was one of the weirdest matches I played,” the second-ranked Swiatek said. “Maddie was playing just perfectly at the beginning and I wasn’t really proactive with anything. I let Maddie do more mistakes by just putting the ball back and the momentum changed.”
It was the first meeting between the two since Swiatek squandered a match point in the semifinals of the Australian Open that was won by Keys.
Swiatek is trying to reach her third straight Madrid final. She beat Aryna Sabalenka last year after losing to her in 2023.
Sabalenka, the No. 1 player in the world, later faces 24th-seed Marta Kostyuk in her quarterfinal match.
Swiatek hasn’t gone past the semifinals at any tournament since last year’s French Open.
It was the second consecutive day without disruptions at the Caja Magica tennis complex following a major blackout on Monday that brought Spain and Portugal to a standstill and prompted more than 20 matches to be postponed.