Lin Yu-ting, Taiwan’s first Olympic boxing gold medalist, had little trouble winning her first match since the 2024 Paris Olympics yesterday at the Asian Boxing Elite Boxing Championships.
In the round-of-16 contest in the women’s 60kg division, Lin defeated Thailand’s Thananya Somnuek 5-0.
All five judges scored the three-round bout 30-27 in favor of the Taiwanese, but a one-point deduction reduced her winning margin on each scorecard to 29-27.
Photo: CNA
Lin’s coach Tseng Tzu-chiang told reporters that the first bout after such a long layoff is always the toughest.
“We came up with a game plan and she executed it well in the ring,” Tseng said, adding that hopefully the strong start bodes well for Lin for the rest of the tournament.
In the quarter-finals, Lin faces Ayaka Taguchi of Japan, the top seed in World Boxing’s first-ever continental championship.
The win marks an important step for the 30-year-old Lin, who had not competed internationally since winning the women’s featherweight (57kg) title at the Paris Olympics.
Despite the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) backing of her eligibility during the Paris Games, Lin — who has been the subject of claims related to differences in sex development (DSD) — has faced challenges returning to competition amid shifting dynamics in the sport and broader geopolitical tensions.
Lin secured her place at the Asian Championships by defeating Wu Shih-yi, a lightweight bronze medalist at the Paris Games, in December last year.
Lin’s eligibility was formally confirmed late last month, when World Boxing cleared her to compete.
“Following the conclusion of an appeal process by the National Federation, which was conducted in line with World Boxing’s sex eligibility policy and overseen by [its] Medical Committee, we can confirm that [Lin] is eligible to compete in the female category at World Boxing competitions,” Tom Dielen, secretary general of World Boxing, said in a statement.
The wording — specifically its reference to “World Boxing competitions” — suggested that Lin might still face uncertainty over her eligibility for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
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