Paris 2024: Caitlin Parker assured historic Australian boxing medal ...
Caitlin Parker is guaranteed Australia's first Olympic medal in women's boxing after dominating her quarterfinal against Moroccan world champion Khadija Mardi.
The 75kg chance was the clear victor despite a 4-1 split decision in Paris on Sunday that has assured Australia two boxing medals at the same Olympics for the first time in 64 years.
There are no bronze medal fights at the Olympics, meaning Parker will leave with a historic medal even if she loses her semifinal against China's Li Qian on Thursday at Roland Garros.
Only six Australians have won Olympic boxing medals, Harry Garside's bronze in Tokyo three years ago snapping a 33-year drought.
None of those six have been gold, but Australia now has two live chances after Charlie Senior (57kg) stormed into the semi-finals on Saturday.
Senior fights Uzbekistan's Abdumalik Khalokov for a place in the final on Thursday, just 30 minutes before Parker enters the ring.
Three judges handed all three rounds to Australian boxing captain Parker, who set the tone with a fierce overhand right that connected in the first round.
The Tokyo Olympian followed that up with a left hook and two left jabs in the second round to leave her taller opponent needing a final-round stoppage to steal the win.
But the 33-year-old mother of three daughters, who returned to the sport to win her first world championship last year, never looked likely.
Women's boxing has only been part of the Olympic program since 2012, Parker the first Australian woman to compete at two Games.
Australia qualified a record 12 boxers at this year's Pacific Games in the Solomon Islands.
But Parker, Senior and super heavyweight Teremoana Teremoana Jnr were the only three to progress beyond their first fights.
AUSTRALIA'S OLYMPIC BOXING MEDALLISTS:
* Reginald Baker, (middleweight silver, 1908)
* Kevin Hogarth (welterweight bronze, 1956)
* Tony Madigan (light heavyweight bronze, 1960)
* Ollie Taylor (bantamweight bronze, 1960)
* Grahame Cheney (light welterweight silver, 1988)
* Harry Garside (lightweight silver, 2021)
* Caitlin Parker and Charlie Senior (TBC, 2024)
