Taiwanese boxer Lin Yu-ting secured a place in the semi-finals of the women’s 60kg boxing competition at the Asian Games in Nagoya, assuring herself of at least a bronze medal. The 30-year-old Olympic champion defeated North Korea’s Won Un-gyong 4-1 on Tuesday as she pursues a second Asian Games gold medal.

Lin, who previously won gold in the 57kg category at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, moved up a weight division for this edition of the Games. She had considered retiring after the Paris 2024 Olympics but chose to continue competing to challenge those who questioned her eligibility.

The Taiwanese boxer was at the center of controversy following the 2023 World Championships, where she and Algeria’s Imane Khelif were disqualified by the International Boxing Association (IBA) for failing unspecified gender eligibility tests. Despite the disqualification, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) intervened, allowing both athletes to compete in Paris, criticizing the IBA’s decision as “sudden and arbitrary.” Both Lin and Khelif went on to win gold medals in their respective categories at the Olympic Games.

Lin’s victory in Nagoya follows her historic gold at the 57kg weight class in Paris. Her advancement to the semi-finals represents a significant achievement amid ongoing debates over eligibility criteria in women’s boxing and the governance disputes within the sport’s international bodies. The Asian Games continue through October, with athletes from across Asia competing in multiple disciplines.