The Paris 2024 Olympic Boxing Tournament resumed today, shifting to the legendary Stade Roland Garros for the final stages of the competition. From now until the conclusion of the competitions on August 10, only evening sessions will take place, starting at 21:30 (CET). Day 10 featured seven thrilling bouts across four weight classes, including semifinals in the Women’s 50kg, Women’s 66kg, and Men’s 71kg categories, as well as the highly anticipated Women’s 60kg final.
Kellie HARRINGTON of Ireland has secured her second back-to-bak gold medal in the Women’s 60kg boxing category. The 34-year-old Irish boxer, who first won Olympic gold in Tokyo 2020, delivered another masterful performance today, securing her place as a two-time Olympic champion.
In the ring at Stade Roland Garros, HARRINGTON faced Wenlu YANG, 33-year-old first-time Olympian from the People’s Republic of China, who entered the final as the reigning 2022 Asian Games champion. HARRINGTON dominated the first two rounds, showcasing her speed, precision, and tactical superiority. YANG mounted a comeback in the third round, winning the favor of four out of five judges. However, HARRINGTON’s early lead proved decisive, and she claimed the gold with a 4:1 split decision.
After the victory, HARRINGTON commented on becoming a two-time Olympic champion: “Right now I think it’s great but it will only be later when it actually sinks in. I didn’t think this was possible. Thanks to the coaches here and back home and Mandy (wife), my brothers and my ma and da and close friends who kept me going even when I didn’t believe. And here I am. It’s a nice way to go out.”
Earlier in the session, the first semifinal of the day featured the United States’ Omari JONES and Uzbekistan’s Asadkhuja MUYDINKHUJAEV in the Men’s 71kg weight category. In a closely contested bout, the 23-year-old Uzbek boxer took control in the first two rounds, delivering powerful blows and showcasing relentless determination. Despite a valiant effort from JONES in the third round, MUYDINKHUJAEV held on to secure a 3:2 split decision victory, advancing to the gold-medal match on August 9. He will face Marco Alonso VERDE ALVAREZ of Mexico, who emerged victorious in a hard-fought battle against Lewis RICHARDSON (GBR). After the Mexican edged out round one 3/2, the British boxer stepped up, targeting his opponent’s face. However, the Pan American Games champion persevered like a true warrior, and in the end, it was a 3:2 split decision win for VERDE ALVAREZ.
In the Women’s 50kg semifinal, the top-seeded Yu WU of China proved too formidable for Kazakhstan’s Nazym KYZAIBAY. The reigning Asian Games gold medallist executed a brilliant tactical display, controlling the bout and securing a 4:1 victory. WU will face a challenging opponent in the final, as Buse Naz CAKIROGLU of Turkey, the Tokyo 2020 silver medallist, delivered a flawless performance, defeating Aira VILLEGAS of the Philippines with a commanding 5:0 decision.
In the Women’s 66kg semifinal, Imane KHELIF of Algeria delivered a standout performance, outclassing 2023 Asian Games silver medallist Janjaem SUWANNAPHENG (THA) with a perfect 5:0 victory. The Algerian boxer is now a step closer to the Olympic gold medal. The next opponent on her path will be #2 seed Liu YANG (CHN) who triumphed over Nien Chin CHEN of Chinese Taipei in a notable contest. Although CHEN started strong, taking a 5:0 lead in the first round, YANG turned the tide in rounds two and three with a relentless offensive strategy and sharp combinations, earning a 4:1 decision and a place in the final.
Boxing will continue tomorrow, 7 August, at 21:30 (CET) at the Roland Garros with four semifinals bouts to be contested in the Women’s 57kg and Men’s +92kg as well as the final in the Men’s 63.5kg and Men’s 80kg weight category.
Find the event schedule and the results here.
