Month: November 2024

Algerian boxer Imane Khelif, who has faced scrutiny through the Paris Games, is now guaranteed at least an Olympic bronze medal, after defeating Hungary’s Anna Luca Hamori in a unanimous decision in the quarterfinals. 

Khelif’s opening-fight defeat of Angela Carini of Italy on Thursday—Carini withdrew after 46 seconds—sparked international outrage given that the International Boxing Association (IBA) claimed last year that she failed an unspecified gender test at the World Women’s Boxing Championships in New Delhi, disqualifying her from the event.

Today, however, a pro-Algeria, pro-Khelif  faction at North Paris Arena in Villepinte, France, gave her a practical home-field advantage. 

Isamel Lyaakoubi, a chemical engineer from Paris who still h…

A good track-and-field rivalry feels like a championship boxing match—without the violence—replete with jabbering between the combatants, showmanship at the start line, and head-to-head fights to the finish. (A popular new Netflix documentary, Sprint, examines this dynamic in-depth.) Many rivalries are quieter: athletes display outward respect and admiration for each other and do most of their talking on the track (or field). Others are not so subtle. As the second week of the Paris Games approaches – the first full day of the Olympic track-and-field competition takes place on August 2 at the Stade de France – all eyes turn toward the runners, throwers, and jumpers. Here are six of the sport’s best rivalries to watch. 

USA vs. USA: Men’s…

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