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AAP
AAP
Murray Wenzel

History made as part of Aussie boxing's 64-year first

Caitlin Parker (left) will leave Paris with Australia's first Olympic medal in women's boxing. (Dave Hunt/AAP PHOTOS)

An inspired Caitlin Parker is guaranteed Australia's first Olympic medal in women's boxing after dominating her quarter-final against Moroccan world champion Khadija Mardi.

The 75kg chance was the clear victor despite a 4-1 split decision in Paris on Sunday that has assured Australia two boxing medals at the same Olympics for the first time in 64 years. 

There are no bronze medal fights at the Olympics, meaning Parker will leave with a historic medal even if she loses her semi-final against China's Li Qian on Thursday at Roland Garros.

"I have got every emotion going through me right now," Parker said.

"History has already been made.

"I can't wait to call mum and dad and scream on the phone. It's mind-blowing." 

Only six Australians have won Olympic boxing medals, Harry Garside's bronze in Tokyo three years ago snapping a 33-year drought.

None of those six have been gold, but Australia now has two live chances after Charlie Senior (57kg) stormed into the semi-finals on Saturday in a win Parker says stirred something inside her.

Senior fights Uzbekistan's Abdumalik Khalokov for a place in the final on Thursday, just 30 minutes before Parker enters the ring.

"Watching Charlie ... I was in absolute bloody tears, and then he came back to the Olympic village and we just cried together," she said.

"It was just an incredible moment. That pumped me up so much and I felt that I had to bring everything and I did that. 

"I will probably not sleep tonight, just smiling and looking at the roof."

Caitlin Parker
Australian Caitlin Parker (right) was too good for Moroccan world champion Khadija Mardi. (Dave Hunt/AAP PHOTOS)

Three judges handed all three rounds to Australian boxing captain Parker, who set the tone with a fierce overhand right that connected in the first round.

The Tokyo Olympian followed that up with a left hook and two left jabs in the second round to leave her taller opponent needing a final-round stoppage to steal the win.

But the 33-year-old mother of three daughters, who returned to the sport to win her first world championship last year, never looked likely.

Women's boxing has only been part of the Olympic program since 2012, Parker the first Australian woman to compete at two Games.

Australia qualified a record 12 boxers at this year's Pacific Games in the Solomon Islands. 

But Parker, Senior and super heavyweight Teremoana Teremoana Jnr were the only three to progress beyond their first fights. 

AUSTRALIA'S OLYMPIC BOXING MEDALLISTS

* Reginald Baker, (middleweight silver, 1908)

* Kevin Hogarth (welterweight bronze, 1956)

* Tony Madigan (light heavyweight bronze, 1960)

* Ollie Taylor (bantamweight bronze, 1960)

* Grahame Cheney (light welterweight silver, 1988)

* Harry Garside (lightweight silver, 2021)

* Caitlin Parker and Charlie Senior (TBC, 2024)

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