Lovelina Borgohain has smashed her way past an age-old patriarchy and the strongest opponents in the ring.
This 24-year-old has made history by becoming Assam’s first woman pugilist to qualify for the Olympics and win a medal for India as well.
A matter of great joy and pride for us as @LovlinaBorgohai becomes the first woman pugilist from Assam to qualify for the #Olympics.
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) June 10, 2021
My heartiest Congratulations to you Lovlina. You have our finest wishes for the big moment.
May you continue to shine and succeed. pic.twitter.com/DVqP5EbaI2
Let’s go through her journey from Golaghat to Tokyo.
Lovlina was inspired to take up boxing after reading a story of the famous American Boxer Muhammad Ali.
Her father once brought home some sweets wrapped in a newspaper, which had a picture and story about Muhammad Ali. Lovlina requested that her father read the story to her, and this is how she learned about boxing.
Lovlina began her career as a kickboxer, but when the opportunity arrived, she switched to boxing.
Lovlina was shortlisted and selected by famous Coach Padum Boro, who began teaching her in 2012. The Sports Authority of India organised tryouts at her high school, Barpathar Girls High School, where she was shortlisted and selected by renowned Coach Padum Boro, who began training her in 2012.
Shiv Singh, the Chief Women’s Coach, later trained her.
She competed in the AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championship 2018 for the first time in New Delhi, winning bronze in the Welterweight(69 kg) category.
The greatest break of Lovlina’s career occurred when she was chosen to compete in the welterweight boxing division at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
On November 23, 2018, she earned the bronze medal in the Welterweight(69 kg) category at the AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championship, held in New Delhi.
Lovlina received the Arjuna Award in 2020, becoming the sixth person from Assam to hold it.
Borgohain finally made her way to Tokyo Olympics in the 69 kg category with a 5-0 victory against Maftunakhon Melieva of Uzbekistan at the 2020 Asia & Oceania Boxing Olympic Qualification Tournament in March 2020.
At Nationals, even if you win a gold medal, people could forget it. But an Olympic medal is such that if you win one, no one will forget it ever. So that’s my target, to win a medal at the Olympics.
Borgohain is a young player who has already established herself on the international stage among legends such as Mary Kom.
