MOROCCO, March 27 - The Moroccan pugilist Khadija El Mardi (+81 kg), was crowned world champion of heavyweight, Sunday, in New Delhi, standing out as the ambassador par excellence of the national female boxing.

By beating the Kazakh Kungeibayeva Lazzat, world champion in 2016, El Mardi becomes the first African and Arab woman to achieve such a performance.

This victory, which comes a year after the silver medal won by El Mardi at the World Championships in Turkey, allows Morocco to rank 5th at the World Championships in New Delhi, after the bronze of her compatriot Yasmine Moutaqui (-48 kg).

El Mardi's international carrer began in October 2019 in Russia, when she offered Moroccan women's boxing a first medal in the world championship, after seeing her quest for gold stopped at the semi-final stage (-75 kg).

However, the Moroccan champion managed to get this bronze medal, while she resumed the competition after an absence from the rings since 2017 due to a caesarean section.

Khadija El Mardi was able to join the national boxing team to compete in the All Africa Games in Rabat in 2019, obtaining a gold medal.

In India, the native of Zagoura had a challenge to meet, that of reaching the world summit and represent the national sport with dignity. A challenge taken up with flying colors with an unprecedented achievement for the Arab and African boxing.

MAP:27 March 2023