Chinese female boxers made an Olympic breakthrough in Paris with their first golds in a sport once banned under Mao Zedong.
Women’s boxing made its Olympic debut at London 2012 and after several near misses, China this week claimed gold with three titles in as many days at Roland Garros.
On Thursday, Chang Yuan clinched the 54kg crown and 24 hours later it was Wu Yu’s turn to win the 50kg.
Then on Saturday, the final night of boxing in the French capital, Li Qian won gold at 75kg.
The two silvers made China easily the most successful women’s boxing team at the Games.
Wu’s performance on Friday at Roland Garros, which is usually the home of tennis’ Grand Slams but held a box office for 15,000 spectators, was particularly eye-catching.
The 29-year-old was booed at the end of a match in which she beat Turkey’s Bus Naz Cakiroglu on points with fair and sometimes foul play.
In the third round, Wu, who is tied to the Chinese military, was deducted a point and infuriated the Turkish boxer’s corner with some of his secret tactics.
It involved hitting Cakiroglu in one of the buttocks as the Turk stood opposite with her head hanging over the ropes.
Wu later called it an “accident”.
We will never know what Mao, the founder of Communist China, who banned boxing for being too violent, would have made of the scene.
“I trained very hard and all the hard work paid off,” said Wu, who was previously described as a sergeant in the Army.
The Olympic debutant adds gold to the world champion title and Asian Games crowns she won last year.
Chinese media compared her to Zou Shiming, the two-time men’s Olympic champion in 2008 and 2012 and for many years the country’s best-known boxer. It’s no coincidence – Wu was once under Zou’s former trainer.
