Taiwanese boxer Lin Yu-ting (林郁婷) emerged as Olympic champion in the women’s 57kg (featherweight) division on Saturday in Paris (Sunday in Taipei), despite facing online abuse due to gender misconceptions over the past two weeks.
Lin defeated Julia Szeremeta of Poland by a unanimous 5-0 decision to clinch the gold, completing a long journey of redemption after being eliminated from the Tokyo Games in 2021 in her opening bout.
Lin, who has been competing in women’s events since her boxing debut in September 2013, is the first Taiwanese boxer to win gold, after three other Taiwanese female boxers earned bronze medals in their respective divisions in Tokyo and Paris.
Photo: REUTERS
No male boxer from Taiwan ever medaled at the Games.
Lin and Imane Khelif of Algeria were caught in a firestorm of gender scrutiny during the Games as tensions between the International Boxing Association (IBA) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) intensified.
The IBA was suspended from running the Olympic boxing competition in 2019 and stripped of its Olympic credentials last year due to governance issues and a lack of transparency.
Photo: CNA
However, that did not stop it from alledging during the Olympics that Lin and Khelif should not be competing in the women’s boxing event in Paris.
Its accusations stem from its disqualification of Lin and Khelif at the IBA Women’s World Championships last year for failing undisclosed gender eligibility tests, which the IOC has criticized.
The IOC said that the two boxers were “victims of sudden and arbitrary decisions by the IBA” and over the past two weeks repeatedly affirmed the eligibility of both athletes for the Games, citing their passports and being identified as female since birth.
Photo: Chen Chih-chu, Taipei Times
Saturday’s victory saw Lin silencing the noises from outside the ring.
After her victory, Lin kissed the mat and was visibly emotional during the medal ceremony as Taiwan’s national anthem played.
“From the moment I started boxing until now, all the hardships of training came rushing back,” she said.
Photo: AFP
“I teared up because winning this medal for my country means so much. So many people in Taiwan have believed in me and supported me,” she added.
Addressing the recent scrutiny she faced over misconceptions about her gender, Lin said she had avoided social media throughout the competition, choosing to focus solely on her performance and leaving other matters in the hands of her coach.
“As a top athlete, it is crucial to stay focused on the game,” she said. “All I need to know is who my opponent is and how to prepare for the next match.”
Photo: CNA
Lin said she is incredibly honored to win Taiwan’s first Olympic boxing gold medal, and vowed to continue pushing herself.
“I believe I am here for a special purpose, and I will continue to work hard,” she said.
With the latest accomplishment, the 28-year-old fighter achieved a “grand slam” in her amateur boxing career, adding to her two world championships, two Asian championships and one Asian Games gold.
President William Lai (賴清德) on Facebook yesterday congratulated her for winning the gold medal despite facing “malicious attacks” from the IBA.
Lai highlighted the widespread excitement across the nation after Lin’s victory.
“I believe all of us in Taiwan are as thrilled as I am, and we are proud of Lin Yu-ting,” he said.
The American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) also congratulated Lin on Facebook.
“We are so proud of her hard-won and remarkable achievements,” it said.
“Her perseverance and positive attitude were an inspiration to us all. She has shown the world her incredible talent and resilience and brought honor to Taiwan,” it added.
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