Boxer Lovlina Borgohain’s Path From Working in Fields to Paris Olympics

Paris Olympics: Hailing from the small village of Bara Mukhia in Assam, Lovlina Borgohain’s boxing journey started when she was in Class 5 and got here throughout an image of American boxer Muhammad Ali in a newspaper. The remaining, as they are saying, is historical past.

Lovlina Borgohain, the 26-year-old boxing champion from Assam who has been representing India on the 2024 Paris Olympics, superior to the quarter-finals of the ladies’s 75kg class after defeating Norway’s Sunniva Hofstad On Wednesday, 31 July.  

Lovlina is now only one step away from successful a second Olympic medal when she’s going to face high seed Li Qian of the Republic of China within the quarter-finals on Sunday, 4th August. Successful the bout will assure her a bronze medal which can mark a historic second for her in Indian boxing.

Lovlina is Assam’s first Olympic gold medalist and the third Indian boxer to bag an Olympic boxing medal after Vijender Singh in Beijing 2008 and Mary Kom in London 2012.

Hailing from the small village of Bara Mukhia in Assam, Lovlina’s boxing journey started after seeing American boxer Muhammad Ali in a newspaper at school 5. Although initially educated in Muay Thai, she caught the attention of boxing coach Padum Boron, who introduced her to Guwahati.

Till Lovlina’s Tokyo Olympics win, Baro Mukhia lacked water, roads, and electrical energy. Her victory spurred a whole transformation of the village. 

That is her story.

Her mother and father had been pitied for not having sons

In response to The Wire, Lovlina’s father earned simply Rs 4,000 a month and supported the household on this modest revenue. Whereas native attitudes initially resisted ladies in boxing, Lovlina’s Olympic bronze win led to widespread celebration throughout the village. 

However she shares how her household, together with her two elder sisters, Licha and Lima, who are actually serving the nation as troopers within the Central Industrial Safety Drive (CISF) and Border Safety Drive (BSF), has been her pillar of assist.

“I bear in mind how within the village they’d usually pity my mother and father for having no sons however three daughters. My mom would all the time inform us to do one thing to show the critics flawed, and we did,” she shared with The Indian Categorical after being awarded an Arjuna award in 2020.

How the journey started

Lovlina began boxing in 2012 when coach Padum Boron invited her to Guwahati. She initially managed on a sparse food regimen and her father needed to borrow cash to assist her. With no tools accessible, she used empty LPG cylinders for coaching.

Nonetheless, after the 2020 Tokyo Olympics the place she received a bronze medal, she was in a position to purchase a flat in Guwahati.

Lovlina’s former coach Sandhya Gurung informed ESPN that when she began teaching Lovlina, she had expertise however was fearful. She would carry out effectively towards weaker opponents however would panic beneath actual strain, she famous.

Gurung noticed Lovlina’s potential and pushed her to intention for the following Olympics. To point out her dedication, Lovlina trimmed her lengthy hair to enhance her efficiency and shaved all of it off in 2018. Gurung labored with Lovlina to sharpen her jab, a key device for each attacking and defending. She additionally taught Lovlina learn how to management her concern throughout shut fights.

Lovlina’s spectacular boxing profession additionally features a silver medal on the 2023 Asian Video games, together with gold medals on the 2022 Asian Boxing Championships and the 2023 IBA Ladies’s World Boxing Championships. 

Edited by Padmashree Pande.