South Korea's top female boxer Im Ae-ji out of Asian Games after knee surgery

Im Ae-ji, who became the first South Korean female boxer to win an Olympic medal when she claimed bronze at the 2024 Paris Games, will miss the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games due to injury.

A Korea Boxing Association official said Thursday that Im suffered a knee injury during training and underwent surgery, ruling her out of the Asian Games.

Im, who had been set to compete in the women's 54-kilogram category at the Games, recently tore the anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee during a sparring session and has since had surgery.

Im posted a message on her SNS account saying, "I'm deeply sorry I can't be there with everyone, but please send even more support to our athletes."

The Korea Boxing Association has named Yang Yi-young of the Gumi City Sports Council, who finished second at the national selection trials for the women's 54-kilogram category, as Im's replacement and has asked the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee to approve the change to the national team roster.