Paris, France – Arab athletes put on a spectacular performance on Friday at the Paris Olympics, winning two golds and a silver. Algerian boxer Iman Khalif and Tunisian taekwondo player Firas Katoussi bagged gold medals, while Bahraini runner Salwa Eid Naser claimed a silver in the women’s 400m on her Olympic debut.

Algeria’s 24-year-old Iman dominated headlines worldwide by winning the gold medal in the women’s 66kg welterweight boxing, defeating China’s Yang Liu 5:0. Her victory was particularly significant, as she emerged a champion after enduring intense scrutiny at the Games, facing both in-ring challenges and online abuse stemming from questions about her gender.

Addressing the controversy surrounding her gender, the boxer told the Associated Press, “I am a woman like any other. I was born a woman, and I have lived as a woman, but there are enemies of success, and they can’t digest my success.”

In 2023, International Boxing Association disqualified her for failing a gender eligibility test. However, International Olympic Committee dismissed those tests as ‘baseless’ and allowed her to compete in the Olympics.

Katoussi clinched a gold by defeating Iran’s Mehran Barkhordari in the final of the men’s 80kg taekwondo competition.

Salwa clocked 48.53 secs but was outpaced by Marileidy Paulino (48.17 secs) of the Dominican Republic.

So far, Arab athletes have won five gold medals in Paris. Morocco’s Soufiane el Bakkali triumphed in the men’s 3,000m steeplechase, while Algeria’s Kaylia Nemour made history as the first African gymnast to win an Olympic medal, securing gold with a breathtaking routine on the asymmetric bars. Bahrain’s Winfred Yavi set an Olympic record and captured the women’s 3,000m steeplechase title.

In addition to the golds, Arab athletes earlier earned two silver medals, thanks to Tunisian fencer Fares Ferjani and Jordanian taekwondo player Zaid Mustafa in the 68kg weight class. They also secured three bronze medals through Egyptian fencer Mohamed el Sayed, Tunisian taekwondo player Mohamed Khalil Jendoubi in the 58kg weight class, and the Moroccan men’s football team.

Arab athletes had the best ever Olympics in Tokyo when they won five gold, five silver and eight bronze medals.

Agencies