Boxer Lovlina assures medal for India at Tokyo Olympics, reaches semis

Lovlina Borgohain has scripted history! She has assured India of its second medal at the Tokyo Olympics after beating former world champion Chen Nien-Chin of Chinese Taipei in the quarter-final of the Women’s Welterweight boxing at the Kokukigan Arena on Friday. Lovlina Borgohain assured India a medal in boxing welterweight.

By virtue of a place in the semi-final, Lovlina Borgohain is assured of at least a bronze medal. She is only the third Indian boxer after Mary Kom and Vijender Singh to win a boxing medal for India at the Olympics. Lovlina will be the second Indian woman boxer after Mary Kom, and third overall, to clinch an Olympic medal. She has pulled herself up after the disappointing show in the 2016 Rio Olympics.

The taller Lovlina, who had got a first-round bye and had beaten accomplished German boxer Nadine Abetz in the second round, put up an excellent exhibition of long-range boxing to stay ahead of her powerful opponent. Lovlina, nevertheless, had a slight edge in the first round as she managed a 3-2 verdict.

"Feeling very good after winning the quarter-final, next up is my semi-final. I will definitely try to do better than this in the semi-final. I want to try and win the gold medal for India," Lovlina said. She will face the 2019 World Champion and top seed Busenaz Surmenellii in the much-anticipated semi-final on August 4.