Middleweight (66-75 kilograms), Women

The minimum weight limit for this category was reduced from 69 kg in Tokyo to 66 kg. Defending Olympic Champion Lauren Price of Great Britain decided to turn professional after the Tokyo Games. The top seed was Chinese Li Qian, bronze medalist from 2016 and silver medal winner from 2020. Li had also won multiple medals in continental and World Championships. Li did not have too much trouble reaching the final, defeating the Philippines Hergie Bacyadan by a 5-0 decision, the bronze medalist from Tokyo Lovlina Borgohain of India by a 4-1 decision, and the bronze medalist from the 2014 Summer Youth Olympics, Australia’s Caitlin Parker, by a 5-0 decision in her semi-final.

In the final, Li met Panama’s Atheyna Bylon, competing in her third Olympics, and won a 4-1 decision in a close contest. Li’s victory meant that China had won medals in five of the six women’s divisions. Bylon’s semi-final opponent was Cindy Ngamba, a boxer originally from Cameroon, but who was notable for becoming the first athlete to win a medal for the Refugee Olympic Team.