Lin Yu-ting wins Asian Games gold in 60kg boxing final with 5-0 victory over Yang Chengyu

Final bout in Nagoya

Taiwan boxer Lin Yu-ting won gold in the women's 60kg category at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games on Friday, beating China's Yang Chengyu 5-0 in the final. The 30-year-old fighter competed at the Nishio Gymnasium in Nishio, located southeast of Nagoya, supported by a small contingent of Taiwanese fans. Lin used her height and reach advantage to control distance throughout the bout, establishing a lead heading into the third and final round before withstanding a late push from Yang. Following the fight, Yang acknowledged the tactical challenge posed by Lin's physical profile in the ring.

She is really tall and, in training, we don't often face someone of that height so that distance can feel unfamiliar.

Move to a higher weight class

The victory marked Lin's second Asian Games gold medal, following her title in the 57kg division at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou. Stepping up from 57kg (126lb) to 60kg (132lb) required navigating four separate bouts against heavier opponents across the tournament. Lin noted that every contest tested her balance and endurance, forcing her to recover from falls in each match before securing the final victory. She explained her choice to move up in weight by citing a desire to test herself against stronger competition after establishing a solid record at 57kg.

I don't think there was a single one of my four bouts where I didn't end up on the ground at some point. That shows just how difficult this competition was.

Resolution of eligibility dispute

The tournament in Japan took place two years after Lin won gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where she and Algerian boxer Imane Khelif were central figures in eligibility disputes. Both fighters had been disqualified from the 2023 World Championships in New Delhi by the International Boxing Association (IBA) over unspecified gender-eligibility tests. The International Olympic Committee allowed both athletes to compete in Paris, describing the IBA's ruling as sudden and arbitrary, and later extended support to World Boxing as the replacement governing body. Lin received formal clearance to compete in international events earlier in 2026 after World Boxing concluded a review of her sex-eligibility status.

Career plans and tournament results

Lin acknowledged before the tournament that she had considered retiring from boxing after the Paris Games, where public commentary had drawn remarks from political and cultural figures including Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and J.K. Rowling. She chose to continue competing to maintain her position in the sport and credited her coach for providing steady support during periods of doubt. Following Friday's medal ceremony, Lin declined to confirm whether she plans to defend her Olympic title at the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles. In other action at the Nishio Gymnasium on Friday, India's Lovlina Borgohain won the women's 75kg gold medal by defeating Bao Ziyi of China, improving on the silver medal she won at the previous Asian Games on her 29th birthday.