From the quiet lanes of Assam to the roaring Olympic arena, Lovlina's bronze in Tokyo was a victory for grit as much as for sport
In August - the month of India's independence - we do more than celebrate freedom; we revisit moments that ignited a nation's sporting spirit. Among those stories is the rise of Lovlina Borgohain, the slender boxer from Baromukhia in Assam's Golaghat district, whose journey to an Olympic podium at Tokyo 2020 echoed the country's broader struggle - one that is steadfast, defiant, and resilient.
For years, Indian women's boxing was almost synonymous with MC Mary Kom. Then came Lovlina, a 69kg welterweight fighter with a reach that matched her ambition.
In Tokyo, she became only the third Indian boxer to claim an Olympic medal, following Vijender Singh's bronze in Beijing 2008 and Mary Kom's bronze in London 2012. Her medal was more than just an individual achievement - it highlighted India's growing strength in a sport that once depended on a single icon.
Credit: NDTV
Lovlina's initial experience of combat sports was through Muay Thai, a martial art she trained in alongside her older sisters. The pivotal moment came in 2012 when Sports Authority of India coach Padum Boro identified her at a trial in Guwahati.
Impressed by her punching speed and work on the bag, he guided her towards boxing - a decision that proved crucial. Within months, she became a junior national champion, and by 2013, she secured silver at the Nation’s Women’s Junior Cup in Serbia.
Credit: Olympics
Her transition to the senior circuit was equally swift. The year 2017 saw her win bronze medals at both the Asian Championships and the President’s Cup. Then came back-to-back world championship bronze medals in 2018 and 2019, achievements that established her as a serious contender on the global stage.
The pandemic in 2020 halted tournaments worldwide, but Lovlina used the enforced break to refine her technique and conditioning.
In March 2020, at the Asian Olympic qualifiers in Amman, Jordan, Lovlina secured her ticket to Tokyo by reaching the semi-finals, defeating Uzbekistan's Maftunakhon Melieva in the quarters. Of nine Indian boxers who qualified, she was the only one to return with a medal.
Her Olympic debut began with a tense 3-2 split-decision win over Germany’s Nadine Apetz in the round of 16. In the quarter-final, she faced Chen Nien-Chin of Chinese Taipei, a former world champion who had beaten her three times before. This time, Lovlina turned the tables, using her 5’9” frame for decisive hooks and jabs, winning 4-1.
In the semi-final, she faced Turkey’s Busenaz Surmeneli, the reigning world champion. Lovlina lost 0-5, but in Olympic boxing, both losing semi-finalists receive bronze.
Credit: The Sentinel
That bronze was more than just metal. It made Lovlina the only Indian athlete at Tokyo 2020 to debut and win a medal at the same Games.
It put her among a select group, alongside Mary Kom, to hold both Olympic and world championship medals. And it proved rural Assam can produce pioneers, not just players.
Since arriving in Tokyo, Lovlina has won both the Asian Championships and the World Championships gold (2023), showing that her journey isn’t over.
She began training in Muay Thai, switched to boxing at 15, and reached the Olympic podium by the age of 23. Her story reflects the spirit of independence — proving that with perseverance, any boundary can be crossed.
