Boxer Lovlina Borgohain: Only gold is a medal

Moments after storming into the welterweight semi-finals to assure India of at least a bronze, boxer Lovlina Borgohain insists that she won’t settle for anything less than title

India’s Lovlina Borgohain assured the nation of its second medal at the Tokyo Olympics by upstaging former world champion Nien-Chin Chen of the Chinese Taipei 4-1 in the welterweight (69kg) quarter-finals on Friday.

However, even as the country’s sports afficionados are busy celebrating the achievement, the Assam boxer remains grounded in the awareness that she still has some crucial battles ahead. 

Borgohain will meet top seed Busenaz Surmeneli of Turkey in the semi-finals on Wednesday. And the young Indian boxer, 23, is already eyeing success in the penultimate round. “Medal toh gold hi hota hai [only gold is a medal]. So I want that gold and that’s why I won’t thank anyone now. I’ll thank everyone only after my final,” Borgohain said during a virtual media interaction organised by the Boxing Federation of India after her quarter-final win on Friday.

‘Kick boxing helped’

Interestingly, Borgohain began her fighting journey with Muay Thai or kick boxing which she was introduced to by her elder twin sisters Licha and Lima in the early 2000s. She also trained in Thang-Ta (a traditional form of Manipuri martial). She even went on to win national-level titles in both, Muay Thai (2010) and Thang-Ta (2011), before she was scouted by a Sports Authority of India coach and brought to Guwahati to become a boxer.

When mid-day asked Borgohain if kick boxing offered her any advantages in boxing, she replied: “Yes, Muay Thai was the first sport I learnt and though I would not say that I have won this Olympic medal because of that, it has definitely helped me as a boxer. There are certain punches I learnt in Muay Thai that worked well for me in boxing.”

Borgohain hails from a modest family in Assam’s Golaghat district. Her father, Tiken, owns a small business while also working at one of the tea gardens in the state. Her elder sisters are both martial arts exponents and when she was moving into boxing, there were some doubts in the family. However, her father encouraged her throughout. “This [Olympic medal] is what she wanted all her life. I’m glad she has achieved it,” Tiken told newspersons, who swarmed their home following his daughter’s historic win.

The great Muhammad Ali and India’s six-time world champion Mary Kom are Borgohain’s inspirations. “I have always watched his [Ali’s] videos. I follow his footwork and long [distance] punches. And I have learnt so much from Mary didi [sister]. We have trained together at the ASI [Army Sports Institute] in Pune and it’s been a great experience for me,” said Borgohain.

Fired up for semis

Speaking of her strategy for the upcoming semi-final, Borgohain said: “I have not yet planned anything. I have watched her [Busenaz] videos, so I have a fair idea of what she is capable of. I want to give it my best. I just want to win even if I have to fight with a broken hand.” 

Also Read: Lovlina fought COVID, helped ailing mother: BFI chief

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