Atheyna Bylon from Panama Wins the Silver Medal in Boxing at Paris Olympics
The fight was decided as a split decision, where Panama’s Bylon tried to use her agility to gain an advantage, but she could not overcome China’s Qian’s efficient defense, neutralizing each of her attacks. Panamanian boxer Atheyna Bylon finished her performance this Saturday, August 10, with a silver medal, losing to China’s Li Qian in the 75-kilogram final at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Bylon faced a tough but even fight against Qian, both of equal height 5’10” and with similar arm reach. After three rounds, the judges determined that Qian was the winner of this fight, with a score of 4-1 but a split decision. In the end, the judges scored 28-29, 29-28, 29-28, 29-28, 29-28. Only the first judge, German Susann Kopke, saw Bylon as the winner. “I have a medal for my country, and that counts, so I am happy,” Bylon said in an interview. “I should celebrate, but sometimes you set goals for yourself. I’m happy, but a little sad about the result,” she added. Atheyna Bylon becomes the first female Panamanian athlete to win an Olympic medal. In addition, it is the first medal for Panamanian amateur boxing. With this medal, she joins Lloyd LaBeach and Irving Saladino as the only athletes from the Isthmus to win a medal at the Olympic Games.
Meet China’s Li Qian Who Fought and Beat Atheyna Bylon of Panama 4-1
The gold medal match in the 75-kilogram category of women’s boxing at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games was a duel between two experienced boxers. This fight was between the Panamanian Atheyna Bylon (35 years old) and the Chinese Li Qian (34 years old). Boxer Li Qian is an Olympic and world medalist. She won bronze at the 2016 Rio Games and then silver at Tokyo 2020 (held in 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic). In addition, the Asian has won bronze medals at the 2023 World Championships in New Delhi, silver at Jeju 2014 and gold at New Delhi 2018. She also has two gold medals and one silver medal at the Asian Championships. “Without boxing, I don’t know what would become of my life. I first came into contact with boxing when I was 17,” Li said in an interview published by the Olympic Games organizers. Li said that women’s boxing is not accepted by her parents, something that has caused some unpleasant moments in her family. “My parents thought boxing was too violent. I tried very hard to convince my parents and they finally gave me their permission.” Li, who is 1.80 meters tall (5’10”), like Bylon, came into the fight for the gold medal after three victories. China’s Li Quian won the gold medal 4-1 against Panama’s Atheyna Bylon.
Atheyna Bylon, pictured above, grew up in San Miguelito, Panama City, with her grandmother, mother and sister. At the age of 15, they moved to Tocumen, where she lives to this day. When she came of age, she saw an advertisement on television requesting police officers and told her mother that she wanted to apply. When she joined the Panamanian National Police she never thought about being a boxer, but at the age of 25 she began to practice and almost four years later she managed to qualify for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. She also participated in the 2020 Tokyo Games, and after obtaining the silver medal at the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago Chile, she qualified for Paris. Since early 2024, she has been training full-time for these Games, and says she receives full support from the Panama national police. After her return to Panama with a silver medal, she returns to her job as a police officer. You will see Atheyna leading the November freedom from Colombia and Spain parades in Panama .
