Angela Carini: Female Boxer Who Quit Bout After 46 Seconds at Paris 2024 Breaks Silence

• Angela Carini has revealed why she decided to end her bout with Imane Khelif after just 46 seconds
• The Italian boxer saw her hopes of winning a gold medal at the Olympic Games dashed in the Round of 16
• Carini's opponent's involvement at Paris 2024 has divided opinions among many owing to her gender test issue

Italian boxer Angela Carini has spoken out after withdrawing from her Round of 16 matches against the controversial Imane Khelif at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Carini was visibly emotional after quitting just 46 seconds into the bout on Thursday, August 1.

After taking a hard punch from Khelif, she signalled to her corner to stop the fight, and the referee declared the Algerian the winner.

However, Carini refused to acknowledge Khelif, instead collapsing to her knees, overwhelmed by the abrupt end to her Olympic journey.

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Angela Carini speaks out

The 25-year-old later explained that she stopped the fight because of the force of Khelif’s punch, admitting she had never been hit that hard before.

"After the second punch, I couldn't breathe anymore," she said, as quoted by the Mirror.

"I went to my coach and said 'enough' because it takes maturity and courage to stop. I didn’t feel like fighting anymore."

The controversy surrounding Algerian boxer Imane Khelif

Khelif's participation in the Olympics has been shrouded in controversy.

The Algerian boxer failed a testosterone level test before the gold medal match at last year's World Championship but was cleared to compete in Paris.

An accomplished amateur, Khelif won a silver medal at the 2022 International Boxing Association’s world championships.

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However, the same governing body disqualified her from last year's championship final due to elevated testosterone levels.

IOC defends Khelif's inclusion in Paris 2024

Despite the controversy, the IOC has defended Khelif's right to compete in the multisport event.

"Everyone competing in the women’s category is complying with the competition eligibility rules," said IOC spokesperson Mark Adams via VOA News.

"Their passports state that they are female, and it is confirmed they meet the necessary criteria."

Justin Gatlin Predicts Medalists in Men’s 100m

Briefly News also reported that the men's and women's 100m will be one of the races to watch at the 2024 Paris Olympics as athletics gets underway.

World champion, Noah Lyles, is the favourite to win the race, but Jamaicans and a few African representatives will challenge him. Justin Gatlin, the men's 100m gold medalist at the 2004 Olympics, has predicted the men's race.

Source: YEN.com.gh