A look at Lovlina Borgohain’s qualification for Paris Olympics 2024

Lovlina Borgohain aims to become the first Indian boxer to win multiple Olympic medals at Paris.

Post the domination Indian hockey team enjoyed during the 1900s, India hasn’t had great success in the Olympics.

But in the limited noise that India made at the quadrennial event, one of the sports that punched to stamp India’s authority is boxing. There have been three occasions when the Tricolour has been hoisted during the Olympic medal ceremonies in boxing.

All three have been the bronze medals and the latest of the three was from the Tokyo Olympics when Lovlina Borgohain beat the odds to bring home the medal. Coming to Paris Olympics 2024, she is back much more determined to not only get another medal for the nation but also improve its colour.

With her in full strength and raring to go, let’s look at her journey to the Paris Olympics

How did Lovlina Borgohain qualify for Paris Olympics?

Paris Olympics will see 124 female boxers competing for the medals. The division will have six different weight classes: Flyweight 50kg, Bantamweight 54kg, Featherweight 57kg, Lightweight 60kg, Welterweight 66kg, and Middleweight 75kg.

Qualification was based on three benchmarks, with the first being through the continental qualification tournaments—A total of 75 women booked their place through this route.

Then there were two rounds of qualification tournaments which presented opportunities for 42-45 boxes to fulfill their Olympic dream. The rest of the slots were filled by the host nation and as universality places.

Lovlina Borgohain being a favourite in her category took the first route. On her way to the finals of the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games, the Indian boxer ensured her presence in the Olympics for the second time.

Lovlina Borgohain and her journey to Paris Olympics

Olympic bronze medalist Lovlina Borgohain faced unexpected challenges in qualifying for the Paris Olympics. The 26-year-old boxer from Assam, India, had to adapt to significant changes in her sport.

Borgohain’s previous success came in the 69kg welterweight category at the Tokyo Olympics. However, when this category was removed from the Olympic program, she was forced to move up to the 75kg middleweight division. This transition required her to gain weight while maintaining her fitness and competitive edge, proving to be a difficult task.

The boxer’s struggles became evident when she failed to secure a medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games. However, she began to regain her footing by winning gold at the Asian Championships, though this victory alone wasn’t enough to guarantee her Olympic spot.

Determined to compete in Paris, Borgohain pushed herself further. Her efforts paid off when she clinched a silver medal at the 2023 Asian Games, finally securing her place in the upcoming Olympics.

Recently, Borgohain has shown impressive form, winning gold at the World Championships.

Lovlina Borgohain and her Olympic career

Lovlina Borgohain’s love affair with the Olympics started in Tokyo. In the round of 16, the Indian defeated Germany’s Nadine Apetz, a two-time world championship medallist, 3-2 on a split decision.

The quarterfinals saw a mental battle rather than a physical one, as she faced Chinese Taipei’s Chen Nien-Chin, the 2018 world champion against whom the Indian had lost in her previous three efforts.

The law of averages struck as the boxer from Assam stunned Chen Nien-Chin with a series of powerful hooks and jabs that effectively used her height.

On a split decision, she prevailed 4-1 in the fight. In the semifinals, Busenaz Surmeneli, the eventual gold medallist and 2019 World champion from Turkey, blanked Lovlina Borgohain, which made her return with a bronze medal.

Career highlights of Lovlina Borgohain

• Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist – 2021
• World Championships gold medalist -2023
• Asian Championships gold medalist – 2022
• Asian Games silver medalist – 2023
• Arjuna Award- 2020
• Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award – 2021

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