Boxer Imane Khelif Wins Olympic Gold Medal Following Gender Controversy

Imane Khelif can now call herself a gold medalist ... as she just defeated China's Yang Liu in the women's welterweight final at the Olympics -- the first-ever top finish for an Algerian boxer.

Khelif defeated Liu just minutes ago -- dominating the entire three-round contest and ending what was been a controversial Olympic run.

The 25-year-old boxer has become one of the most polarizing figures of the Paris Games ... and it all stems from the International Boxing Association claiming she was ineligible to compete for the championships in 2023 after unspecified tests determined she had XY chromosomes.

Her Olympics kicked off with her opening round opponent -- Angela Carini -- bowing out after 46 seconds ... saying she had never been hit with such a powerful punch.

"My face and nose were hurting," Carini said, according to the Italian sports daily Gazzetta dello Sport. "I couldn't breathe anymore. I thought about my family, I looked at my brother in the stands and I went to my corner to retire."

Anna Luca Hamori -- Khelif's quarterfinal matchup -- only fueled the fire when she posted a picture of Imane as the devil on her Instagram story. She would go on to defeat Hamori by unanimous decision.

She also took time to address the hate that has been sent her way during these games ... saying bullying can destroy people.

Khelif previously said she hoped her loved ones weren't too affected by all the outrage surrounding her ... and hoped winning the gold would make it all worth it -- and she did just that.