Khelif was crowned Olympic champion on Friday after decisively defeating China's Yang Liu by unanimous decision, claiming gold in the women's welterweight final.
She dominated all three rounds on the judges' scorecards and celebrated by leaping into her trainer's arms, who then carried the 25-year-old around the arena on his shoulders in triumph.
"This has been my dream for eight years, and now I'm an Olympic champion and gold medallist," Khelif said through an interpreter.
When asked about the controversy surrounding her participation, she remarked, "These challenges give my victory a special significance."
"I'm fully qualified to compete," she added. "I'm a woman like any other woman. I was born a woman, I live as a woman, and I am qualified."
Khelif faced intense scrutiny after a previous opponent withdrew just 46 seconds into their match, citing concerns for her health due to the strength of the Algerian's punches.
Khelif had previously stated that winning gold would be the "best response" to her critics. Some had questioned her eligibility, arguing that she might have elevated testosterone levels, potentially giving her an unfair advantage in terms of strength and muscle mass, thereby endangering her opponents.
Last year, Khelif and a Taiwanese boxer were banned from the world championships after the International Boxing Association (IBA) determined they failed gender eligibility tests.
However, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) criticized the IBA's decision as "sudden and arbitrary," asserting that the tests were fundamentally flawed.
The IOC has since banned the IBA due to governance issues, alleged corruption, and ties to Russia.
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