Imane Khelif, the Olympic welterweight champion, won't let doubt or controversy slow her down. The Algerian boxer has big plans for her future in the ring, despite facing gender-related scrutiny during the Paris Games.
Khelif's journey to Olympic gold wasn't easy. She grew up in a small Algerian town where boxing wasn't common for girls. Her mother backed her from the start, and her father came around after seeing her progress.
"We come from a small town and boxing was unusual for a girl in Algeria. Despite this, my mother supported me and, in time, seeing my progress, my father did too."
The early days were tough. Khelif walked 10 kilometers daily to train and sold bread, aluminum, and iron on the street to make ends meet. But her hard work paid off with an Olympic gold medal in Paris.
That victory has only fired up Khelif's ambition. She told La Gazzetta dello Sport:
"Winning that gold at the Games has given me even greater motivation: I faced many challenges to achieve this success, including harassment, and I want to keep fighting to silence those who doubt me. With my sporting achievements, my goals have grown. I want another medal and I want to help create more opportunities for women in sport."
Khelif's Olympic experience wasn't all celebration. She faced questions about her gender during the Games, an issue that has affected other athletes in the past and present.
"My experience in Paris shows that any athlete can become a victim and what happened was very damaging,"Khelif said. She managed to stay focused despite what she called "propaganda" surrounding her.
The boxer criticized how outside pressures can lead to hasty and unfair decisions in sports. She emphasized her commitment to training and following the rules as written.
Khelif has given up on world championships but denies rumors of retirement. She's set her sights on the next Olympics, aiming to defend her gold medal and create a positive impact.
"I'm optimistic and I think the impact will be different, because the debate we started during the last Games will leave its mark,"Khelif said, looking ahead to future Olympic competitions.
With her determination and talent, Imane Khelif looks ready to keep making waves in the boxing world and beyond.
