“I will bounce back stronger” - Lovlina Borgohain promises a comeback after Paris 2024 Olympics [Exclusive]

Despite a disappointing outing in the recently concluded Paris Olympics, Indian boxer Lovlina Borgohain remains resolute and focused on her long-term goals, which include cultivating future talent in the country. A bronze medallist in Tokyo 2020, she bowed out of the 2024 Games after a loss to old nemesis Li Qian in the quarterfinal. Borgohain remains the reigning middleweight world champion.

Seeded eighth at the Olympics in the French city, the 26-year-old Assamese was the last hope among all Indian women boxers, having entered the last eight of the competition. A close encounter with the Chinese boxer ended her campaign and her dreams of becoming the first Indian boxer to win two consecutive Olympic medals.

Reflecting on her experience in an exclusive interview, Lovlina noted that while the first two rounds were closely contested, she struggled with Li Qian’s defensive tactics in the final round.

“The first two rounds against Li Qian went either way, but in the third she was holding me, and I couldn’t get off that,” she said.

Lovlina compared the bout to the final of the Hangzhou Asian Games, where she was penalized for similar holding tactics. The Indian expressed disappointment that the same rules were not enforced at the Olympics. However, she emphasized that she did not want to use this as an excuse for her performance.

“In the Hangzhou Asian Games, I was penalised a point for holding, the same should have applied here but I don’t want to make it an excuse. Such things keep happening, unfortunately, it wasn’t my day,” Lovlina said.

Lovlina Borgohain wants to develop the next generation of boxers

Looking ahead, Lovlina is shifting her focus from personal achievements to broader contributions to the sport. She expressed a strong desire to mentor younger boxers, aiming to build a sustainable talent pool that will continue to thrive beyond just her career.

“I want to groom some younger boxers along with me. The chain can continue even after I leave the sport,” she said.

Though her Olympic journey in Paris did not yield the results she had hoped for, Lovlina has no plans of hanging her boots before she completes her dream of winning an Olympic gold medal.

“There’s a long way to go, to fulfil my ultimate dream (Olympic gold). There will be roadblocks on the way, and Paris was one of those, but I will bounce back stronger in the coming tournaments to prepare better,” she said.

Having competed in two consecutive Olympics, Lovlina spoke about the varied challenges at both events, hoping to take the learnings to the next one.

“Tokyo and Paris if you compare both..the earlier edition was tougher in terms of preparations and the uncertainty around Covid. The Games were postponed for a year and everything was being held behind closed doors. In Paris, it was a completely different scenario, everything was normal. Yes the preparation time was one year shorter, but then no excuses again..sometimes such experiences are your greatest teachers,” she said.

Lovlina Borgohain was the only Indian boxer to win a medal in Tokyo (IMAGE: Getty)

Distancing from social media

Just like she did in the build-up to Tokyo, Lovlina left social media three months before the Paris Games as well. She wanted to focus solely on her training and communicate only with her family. She noted that this approach helped her maintain concentration and avoid distractions.

"I left social media three months before Paris, just used a number to speak to my family. There were no distractions, when you are preparing for an Olympics you can’t afford to let the outside noise affect you. I did that before Tokyo too and similarly again before Paris,” she maintained.

Borgohain praised the infrastructure available for training and preparation in India.

"Facilities in India are better than some other developed countries," she asserted, underscoring the high standard of support available for athletes in her home country.

Borgohain also expressed deep gratitude for the support she received from her home state of Assam and the nation at large. Despite the Olympic outcome, she felt a profound sense of encouragement from her supporters.

“The kind of support and warmth I received despite my performance motivates me to put in a lot of effort to bring the smiles back to our people in the next one," she said.

Borgohain will now look forward to future tournaments and pursue her Olympic dream. Her commitment to her personal goals and the development of the sport in India remains unwavering.