Debutant Lovlina Borgohain assured India of their first boxing and second medal at the ongoing Tokyo Olympics when she upstaged former world champion Nien-Chin Chen of Chinese Taipei to enter the semi-finals on Friday.
The 23-year-old Assam boxer prevailed 4-1 to make the last-four in women’s welterweight in a confident performance. Borgohain, a two-time world championship bronze-medallist, displayed tremendous calm in the face of a plucky opponent, who had beaten her in the past.
India have been waiting on a second medal after weightlifter Mirabai Chanu opened the account on Saturday. The boxer is also the country’s fourth straight female medallist at the Olympics.
Read more – India at Tokyo 2020 day 7 live updates
This is India’s third medal at the Olympics in boxing after Vijender Singh (2008) and MC Mary Kom (2012). Both of them had won bronze medals and Borgohain would look to better that. The colour of her medal will be decided after semi-final bout.
Next up, she will square off against reigning world champion Busenaz Surmeneli of Turkey, who hammered Ukraine’s Anna Lysenko in her quarter-final bout.
Here are some of the reactions to Borgohain’s win.
That feeling when you assure your country of an Olympic medal in your debut appearance! 🔥🔥
— #Tokyo2020 for India (@Tokyo2020hi) July 30, 2021
4️⃣th August, 2021 📆 - Mark @LovlinaBorgohai's semi-final date on your calendars, it's 'bout to get more exciting!#Tokyo2020 | #StrongerTogether | #UnitedByEmotion | #BestOfTokyo pic.twitter.com/NwptipkUFb
Finally congratulations India 🇮🇳 #lovlina #TeamIndia
— Vijender Singh (@boxervijender) July 30, 2021
MEDAL!!!!
— Kapil Choudhary (@kapil857) July 30, 2021
LOVLINA BORGOHAIN!!!!👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳
What a performance. She had apparently lost to Chen thrice before (once even in India), but just so classy today!! Chen tried to make it dirty and scrappy, but Lovlina just kept tagging her at a distance!!
Unbelievable!#TeamIndia
This means everything!! Keep going @LovlinaBorgohai Don’t be satisfied with this. #OLYMPICS #BOXING #IND pic.twitter.com/rhrGnwQGvU
— Viren Rasquinha (@virenrasquinha) July 30, 2021
Lovlina Borgohain.
— Ritwika Dhar (@RituD307) July 30, 2021
The name has become an emotion. You did it! 😭❤❤😭 #Boxing pic.twitter.com/7bYWl1WkMd
Lovlina Borgohain and her twin sisters Licha and Lima were initially scouted to pursue Muay Thai - while the other two persisted with that, Lovlina decided to take up boxing
— Aniket Mishra (@aniketmishra299) July 30, 2021
I am so glad she did
And she's done it! @LovlinaBorgohai has assured 🇮🇳 of its second medal in #Tokyo2020
— Suprita Das (@MissDasTweets) July 30, 2021
Only the 3rd Indian now with an #Olympics medal after @boxervijender & @MangteC
An opportunity to improve upon the colour of medal won by those 2 for her #TeamIndia #Boxing Hear her shreik!!!
That's the 30th medal for India at Olympics!
— Ranjith Kumar R (@iam_rrt) July 30, 2021
Lovlina just assured India's 2nd medal at Tokyo Olympics.
That's 3rd medal for India at Olympics in Boxing. #Tokyo2020
This is a BIG punch ❤️
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) July 30, 2021
You continue to make us proud #LovlinaBorgohain and keep India’s flag high & shining at #TokyoOlympics2020.
Well done 👏 @LovlinaBorgohai pic.twitter.com/RYFACkNXUN
Much much before the 2020 Tokyo Olympics began there was one person who told me, rather insisted, that Lovlina Borgohain will not return without a medal. Thanks @udita_scorpio77 You had such faith in Lovlina 👍👍👍👍
— Vijay Lokapally (@vijaylokapally) July 30, 2021
It’s goes bumps. All the efforts put for years 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻 @LovlinaBorgohai
— Udita Dutta🏳️🌈 (@udita_scorpio77) July 30, 2021
We have done itttttf#boxing #TeamIndia #Tokyo2020 #Olympics
Bravo..Super Morning🤗
— Major Surendra Poonia (@MajorPoonia) July 30, 2021
Young Indian Boxer Lovlina Borgohain enters into Semi Finals, Assures Medal 🏅 for India💪
She defeated Chinese Taipei's Chin-Chen Nien 4-1@LovlinaBorgohai We are proud of you Champ 🐅Play with same spirit..Nation is Cheering for you💪#Tokyo2020 #Boxing pic.twitter.com/D2yFsTu6DG
Saikhom Mirabai Chanu - Manipur
— Hari Priya CR (@cr_hariPriya) July 30, 2021
Lovlina Borgohain - Assam
You know what I mean (🙊) When we (🇮🇳) are desperate, they (northeast India) deliver. 🙌#Tokyo2020
#WATCH | Assam: Villagers and neighbours of boxer Lovlina Borgohain in Sarupathar, Golaghat were seen celebrating her victory in the Boxing, Women's Welterweight (64-69kg), Quarterfinal 2 in #TokyoOlympics pic.twitter.com/56WuNdp841
— ANI (@ANI) July 30, 2021