Tokyo Olympics: Boxer Lovlina Borgohain assured of bronze medal

The 23-year-old becomes the third Indian boxer to win an Olympic medal.

India's Lovlina Borgohain punched her way to creating history, by winning her quarterfinal bout in the women's welterweight category at the ongoing Tokyo Olympics. Borgohain was dominant throughout, as she went onto win 4-1 against Chinese Taipei's Chen Nien-chin. The win has assured India of at least a bronze medal at the event.

Match Recap

Lovlina Borgohain was in a confident mood going into her quarterfinal bout after her win in the previous round. She knew she had the chance to create history at the Kokugikan Arena. The 23-year-old showed great poise in a tense contest and set the tone right from the off. The boxer from Assam won the first round 3-2 and followed it up with a unanimous 5-0 win in the second round.

After a split decision in the first round, she clearly asserted her dominance in the following round. That relieved some pressure off her shoulders in the final round. She smartly defended Nien-chin's punches with neat footwork. Overall, she went on win 4-1 in the contest, to assure herself and the country of a medal.

She had previously won a total of four bronze medals at the World Championships and Asian Championships events. Borgohain becomes only the third-ever Indian after Vijender Singh at Beijing in 2008 and Mary Kom at London in 2012 to clinch an Olympic medal in boxing.

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With this victory, India has now claimed its second medal at the Tokyo Olympics. This is after weightlifter Mirabai Chanu had won a silver medal in the women's 49kg weightlifting event. At 23, Lovlina Borgohain also becomes one of the youngest Olympic medalists in India's history.

Lovlina Borgohain will aim to break new ground when she takes to the ring against Busenaz Surmeneli of Turkey in the semi-final bout.

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