Boxer Lin Yu-Ting wins gold medal after Olympic controversy

Taiwan’s Lin Yu-Ting, one of the two female boxers at the Paris Olympics embroiled in a “gender eligibility” controversy, emerged triumphant by winning a gold medal in the women’s featherweight division (126 pounds) on Saturday, August 10 2024 night.

Lin secured her victory by defeating Poland’s Julia Szeremeta with a unanimous decision at Roland-Garros Stadium.

Lin’s win was marked by a strong performance, where she dominated the first two rounds with a sharp jab and navigated the third round with ease.

The victory was especially emotional for Lin, who cried during the medal ceremony. She revealed that her tears were a result of reflecting on the challenges and triumphs of her boxing career rather than the controversy surrounding her.

“During the fight, I saw images flashing and I thought about the beginning of my career, when I started boxing,” Lin said.

“All the difficult practices, the times I got injured, the competitors I fought against. There were times of great pain, times of great joy. I cried because I was so touched. I represent my country, I got the gold medal. I want to thank all the people in Taiwan who supported me, from the beginning to the end.”

Lin’s victory came a day after Algeria’s Imane Khelif won gold in the women’s welterweight division (146 pounds) by defeating China’s Yang Liu.

Both Lin and Khelif have faced online abuse and inaccurate speculation about their gender, despite the International Olympic Committee (IOC) confirming that they both meet all criteria for female athletes.

Lin chose to focus solely on her competition and avoided engaging with social media during the Olympics. “Of course I heard some of the information through my coach, but I didn’t pay too much mind to it,” she said.

“I was invited by the IOC to compete at the Games, this is what I focused on. For me, focusing on the competition, that’s what an elite athlete should do. As for all the noise, during the competition, I shut off all social media. I wasn’t able to receive information from outside. I only focused on my competitor.”