Olympic bronze-winning boxer Im Ae-ji to miss Asian Games over knee injury

Im Ae-ji, the 2024 Olympic boxing bronze medalist, will miss next month's Asian Games after suffering an injury during training, the sport's national federation said Thursday.

An official with the Boxing Association of Korea said Im tore a ligament in her left knee during a recent sparring session and underwent surgery that will keep her out of the Asian Games, which will begin in Japan on Sept. 19.

Im had been scheduled to compete in the women's 54-kilogram division.

The 27-year-old won bronze in the same weight class at the 2024 Paris Olympics, becoming the first Korean female boxer to win an Olympic medal.

At both of her two previous Asian Games appearances in 2018 and 2023, Im lost her first matches.

"I am devastated that I will not be able to compete, and I hope you will all cheer for the rest of our athletes," Im wrote on her social media page.

The boxing association said Yang Yi-young, runner-up to Im in the national team trials, will replace Im at the Asian Games.

Yonhap