PARIS — Janjaem Suwannapheng has ensured that the Thai boxing team won’t return home empty-handed in the 2024 Summer Olympics, after advancing to the semi-finals of the women’s 66kg quarterfinal boxing match on Saturday, August 3, 2024.
She defeated Turkey’s Busenaz Surmeneli, the gold medalist from the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo three years ago, 4-1. This victory means Janjaem is set to be the only boxer from eight Thai boxers in Paris Games to secure an Olympic medal, at least a bronze.
However, in the next match, the challenge lies in her facing Algeria’s Imane Khelif, an athlete who has been closely watched in this Olympics.
According to Associated Press, Khelif faced outcry after the banned International Boxing Association claimed she failed an unspecified eligibility test to compete last year over elevated levels of testosterone. She won her opening bout at the Paris Games on Thursday when opponent Angela Carini of Italy tearfully abandoned the fight after just 46 seconds.
IOC President Thomas Bach on Saturday defended Khelif and fellow boxer Lin Yu-ting of Taiwan. Khelif and Lin were disqualified in the middle of last year’s world championships by the IBA, the former governing body of Olympic boxing after what it claimed were failed eligibility tests.
“Let’s be very clear here: We are talking about women’s boxing,” Bach said Saturday. “We have two boxers who are born as a woman, who have been raised a woman, who have a passport as a woman, and who have competed for many years as women. And this is the clear definition of a woman. There was never any doubt about them being a woman.”
Khelif, who had failed to medal at the Tokyo Games held in 2021, will face Janjaem Suwannapheng of Thailand, a silver medalist at last year’s world championships, on Tuesday, August 6, at Roland Garros.
Janjaem said she had boxed against Khelif before in India. She lost then because her body was exhausted and she was also menstruating, which made her a bit weak. However she admits that Khelif’s punching power and physique are strong.
“But I’ve improved since then, and I’ll fight with all I’ve got.”
“I’ve looked into it too, about her hormones, and I know she’s lost to female boxers before, but that was a long time ago. I’m not sure if she’s gotten stronger or if her male hormones have increased. But if we meet again, I’m not afraid because we’re evenly matched. I’ve prepared my body well too, trained a lot. I just think, no matter how strong or tough, we’re both human, we both have two fists. Having come this far, I want to go all the way to the gold medal.”
Vijarn Polrit, head coach of the women’s Olympic boxing team, praised Janjaem in the quarterfinal boxing match. She boxed well according to the plan, and he felt somewhat relieved that in this Olympic Games, the Thai boxing team won’t return home empty-handed. But the mission isn’t over yet. They will do their best no matter who they face in the next round.
The head coach of the Thai women’s boxing team said that when Janjaem faces Khelif, they probably can’t compete in terms of strength, but in terms of speed, Thai fighter might have a chance. Janjaem once lost to Khelif in the semifinals of the 2022 World Championships in India. After that match, Khelif underwent a hormone test, which she failed because her male hormone levels were too high. As a result, Janjaem advanced to the finals instead.
On that stage when Janjaem lost, I admit she couldn’t compete. But this time, she’s well-prepared and quite strong indeed. I believe anything can happen in the ring, just like today when we defeated the top seed. I believe we still have time to make adjustments over the next two days. I still believe we have a chance,” Vijarn said.
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