In a gym in northern Algeria's Kabylia, 15-year-old Cerine Kessal was driving her fists into a punching bag. Like Kessal, 14-year-old Hayat Berouali, who picked up boxing less than a month ago, dreams of becoming a champion,

Imane Khelif, who won Paris Olympics boxing gold amid a gender-eligibility row, is determined to defend her title at the 2028 Los Angeles Games and says she will not be intimidated by U.S. President Donald Trump.

"I am not transgender,” Khelif said. “This does not concern me, and it does not intimidate me. That is my response.”