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,

Algerian boxer Imane Khelif, who was the subject of global attention during the Paris 2024 Games, says she’s aiming to defend her Olympic title at Los Angeles 2028 and brushed off criticism from President Donald Trump.

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