Boxer Lovlina Borgohain defeated Chinese Taipei’s Nien-Chin Chen in the Tokyo Olympics’ women’s welterweight quarterfinal by 4-1, finally ensuring the Indian contingent’s second medal at the Games. What colour her final medal will be is to be decided after the final results. Borgohain is next set to face Turkey’s Busenaz Surmeneli during the semifinals on 4 August, 11am IST.
Borgohain’s momentous win came in the last eight bout of the match, and was the result of a split decision. She was playing in attack mode from the beginning of the match, which is fair given that she was facing a player who has been the 2018 World Boxing Championship’s gold medallist, and the 2019 Asian Championship’s silver medallist. Borgohain’s confidence and offensive play helped her win all three rounds of the match.
With this win, Borgohain has assured that India will at least be scooping up a bronze medal, since all semifinalists are assured of a medal. Weightlifter Mirabai Chanu had won India’s first medal at the Tokyo Games by clinching the silver medal in the women’s 49 kilo category last week.
23-year-old Borgohain’s win, therefore, not only ensures India’s second medal, but also makes her the second Indian woman boxer to win an Olympic medal—the first one had been bagged by MC Mary Kom at the 2012 London Games. It also makes her the third boxer from India to win an Olympic medal, considering Vijendar Singh’s bronze medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.