Tokyo: Boxer Lovlina Borgohain (69kg) assured India of their second medal at the ongoing Tokyo Olympics after she beat Nien-Chin Chen of Chinese Taipei in her quarterfinal bout, to enter the semi-finals here on Friday.
This will be India’s second medal at Tokyo after Mirabai Chanu’s silver in weightlifting.
Borgohain, a two-time world championship bronze-medallist, outclassed Chen 4-1 to make the last-four.
Lovlina had beaten Germany’s Nadine Apetz in the Round of 16. She will now face reigning world champion Busenaz Surmeneli of Turkey.
With this win, Lovlina became their Indian boxer to clinch a medal at Olympics Games.Vijender Singh (2008) and M C Mary Kom (2012). had won bronze medals for India in the past.
Earlier, Simranjit Kaur (60kg) lost to Thailand's Sudaporn Seesondee in the pre-quarterfinals to bow out of the Tokyo 2020.The 26-year-old Indian, seeded fourth, went down 0-5 in her Olympic debut.
Assam erupts in joy on Lovlina’s win in Tokyo Olympics; CM says 'This is Big Punch’
Assam erupted in joy minutes after boxer Lovlina Borgohain cruised past Nien-Chin Chen in her quarterfinal bout of Women’s Welter (64-69kg) in the Tokyo Olympics on Friday.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma tweeted to congratulate the pugilist.Taking to his Twitter Dr CM Sarma wrote, “This is a BIG punch. You continue to make us proud #LovlinaBorgohain and keep India’s flag high & shining at #TokyoOlympics2020”.
Lovlina is the first-ever woman athlete to represent Assam in the Olympics.
She hails from Assam's Sarupathar constituency in the Golaghat district. The entire area celebrated her win by distributing sweets and dancing to the tune of Bihu songs.
In her village, natives and junior boxers initiated wall painting drives in various places in the Golaghat district to support and encourage the boxer.
Lovlina started training for boxing in 2012 under coach Padum Boro. She was taken under Boro's wings after an impressive boxing trial held at her high school Barpathar Girls High School, by the Sports Authority of India.
In 2018 she won the bronze medal at the AIBA Women's World Boxing Championships. She repeated her feat again in 2019 and was conferred the Arjuna Award by President Ram Nath Kovind.(UNI)
