As Lovlina Borgohain prepares for the Paris Olympics, the anticipation and excitement are palpable.
Her bronze medal from the Tokyo Olympics has solidified her place among India’s elite boxers.
Hailing from Baramukhia village in Assam, Lovlina has paved her journey with multiple medals and commendable achievements to become a familiar name in a country with a largely unfamiliar multi-sporting ecosystem.
As she prepares for her second Olympic appearance, she will be competing in a different weight category (middleweight) but remains high on confidence. Lovlina’s determination and skill make her a formidable contender, and she is eager to build on her previous success and achieve new heights in Paris.
Lovlina’s shift to the new weight category – Balancing Risk and Reward
When the International Boxing Association announced that the 69 kg category would be dropped from the Paris Olympics, Lovlina had to make a decision about a transition, bringing in changes in strategies, diet and opponents. She switched to the 75 kg (middleweight) category, finding comfort and strength in this weight class.
Lovlina has found a new stride in the 75kg weight category, transitioning from a more defensive style to a proactive attacking approach. She enjoys the ability to maintain a proper diet, which boosts her energy levels significantly. This newfound comfort has not only improved her overall strength but also enhanced her training capabilities.
It did not take long for her to adjust to the competitive environment, as seen by her victories in key events. She won gold at the 2022 Asian Amateur Boxing Championships, defeating Uzbek pugilist Sokhiba Ruzmetova.
Lovlina will be entering the Olympics as the reigning world champion in this weight category, courtesy of her stupendous win at the 2023 IBA Women’s World Boxing Champs held in New Delhi.
She grabbed her ticket to the Paris Olympics with a silver medal finish at the Hangzhou Asian Games, losing out to her rival Li Qian.
Will Lovlina repeat her Olympics performance or go deeper?
This question looms large in the minds of many fans because the bar of expectation rises for those who have already medaled at the Olympics. Lovlina is no exception.
Given the results mentioned above, she definitely carries a lot of hope.
The 2024 season for her has been marked by a few disappointments. Starting the year at the
Strandja Memorial, Lovlina had a shocking loss when she was disqualified in the R16 after receiving warnings for excessive grappling. In the Czech Grand Prix, she had a decent performance with a silver medal finish. With two losses in the round-robin format tournament, she lost to Cindy Ngamba of the refugee team and a close defeat to Li Qian in the final group stage bout.
So, what exactly is the scenario for Lovlina at the Paris Olympics?
Here’s a simple breakdown of her roadmap. Lovlina is seeded 8th in the women’s 75 kg category. Going by this seeding, she will face the number one seed in the quarterfinal, which is Li Qian. We can really expect a close bout in QF, which will determine whether we can have a shot at the medal or not.
There are a few unseeded threats to Lovlina in the R16 who can bring a surprise on a given day. Cindy Ngamba (Refugee Team), Baison Manikon (Thailand), and Valentina Khalzova (Kazakhstan) may prove to be potential threats.
Nevertheless, we will have to wait for the draws to be announced to know who Lovlina will face in the opening round.
In the later stages of the tournament, Khadija El-Mar (Morocco), Caitlin Parker (Australia), Tammara Thibeault (Canada), and Aoife O’Rourke (Ireland) will be the tricky opponents to navigate towards a win.
The Olympics preparation
Currently, Lovlina is training in Saarbrucken, Germany to acclimatise to the conditions and train with some quality boxers in the final lap of preparations before heading to the grand stage of the Paris Olympics. She has also been putting emphasis on meditation and breathing
exercises.
With her eyes set on the podium once again, she carries the hopes of a nation and the experience of an Olympic medalist.
Written by Khushi
