Boxer Lin Yu-ting, of Taiwan, has advanced to the gold medal bout in the women’s featherweight division, winning her third consecutive fight in Paris while dealing with widespread scrutiny regarding her gender.
One day after Algerian welterweight Imane Khelif reached her final with a third straight victory in Paris, Lin defeated Esra Yildiz Kahraman, of Turkey, 5-0 on Wednesday night for her third win.
Lin will fight for gold on Saturday (local time), taking on Julia Szeremeta, of Poland.
Lin and Khelif both have won through despite the massive distractions created by the fallout from the Olympic-banished International Boxing Association’s decision last year to disqualify both fighters from the world championships for allegedly failing an eligibility test.
Both fighters have responded to this unwelcome spotlight by making two of the best tournament runs of their lengthy respective amateur careers.
Just like Khelif, Lin has never been a dominant champion, but that has not prevented many observers from casting both as unstoppable machines during the Olympics because the IBA disqualified them last year.
The 28-year-old Lin is a veteran amateur boxer who won world championships in 2018 and 2022 during a solid decade at the top level of the sport.
Usually taller and more slender than her opponents, Lin wins her bouts through solid technique and savvy use of her reach rather than power.
That is exactly how she beat Kahraman, who attempted to force a more physical fight while Lin patiently picked her apart, mostly from distance.
After Kahraman hugged Lin and held open the ropes to allow Lin to leave the ring at Roland Garros in a typically boxing-style gesture of sportsmanship, Lin clapped, waved and bowed to the cheering crowd several times while leaving the floor.
Kahraman then went to the centre of the ring and made an 'X' symbol with her two fingers to all areas of the crowd.
The gesture is the same as that made by Lin's last opponent, Svetlana Staneva, following her points loss to the top seed but when asked to explain the signal, one of Kahraman's team replied: "No comment".
While Khelif has spoken several times during the Olympics, calling for an "end to bullying", Lin has made little public comment about the controversy.
She said: "I am one fight closer to my goal of the gold medal. I really enjoyed that fight. Every athlete here is among the best in the world, so I will have to do my best to prepare for the final.
"After going out in the first round of the Tokyo Olympics, it's been a tough journey to reach the finals. I will use everything I've learned in my life to do my best in the next match."
She has received ample support from outside the Olympics, even from former Taiwan president Tsai Ing-wen.
When Lin thrust one glove in the air and walked to the ring for the opening bout on Court Philippe Chatrier, she received loud cheers from a huge crowd with pockets of roaring, flag-waving fans.
Lin will fight for gold against Szeremeta, 20, who rallied with a dominant third round for a 4:1 victory over Nesthy Petecio, of the Philippines.
