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Tokyo: Lovlina Borgohain loses in semis but wins India’s third medal

Indian boxer Lovlina Borgohain in action against Turkey’s Busenaz Surmeneli in the semi-final of women’s welter (64-69kg) at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games on August 4, 2021. (Photo by Buda Mendes/Getty Images)

By: Shubham Ghosh

INDIAN boxer Lovlina Borgohain on Wednesday (4) failed to reach the final match in the women’s welterweight (69 kilograms) category at the Tokyo Olympics 2020 as she lost to Turkey’s Busenaz Surmeneli, the reigning world champion, in the semi-final.

She, however, has secured a bronze medal – India’s third in this edition after Mirabai Chanu’s silver in weightlifting and PV Sindhu’s bronze in badminton. Last week, Borgohain’s medal was assured after she beat Taiwan’s Nien-Chin Chen, a former world champion, to enter the semis.

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It was an off day for the boxer from the northeastern state of Assam as she was completely out-punched by her opponent who dominated the entire bout. The 23-year-old also had to cope with a one-point deduction in the second bout for not paying attention to the referee’s instructions despite being cautioned a few times.

Who is Lovlina Borgohain, India’s boxing medallist at Tokyo?

Borgohain started off good by standing up to a strong challenge but Surmeneli soon gained an upper hand and maintained the dominating position.

Borgohain is the second woman boxer and the third overall from India to win a medal at the Olympic Games. MC Mary Kom, who played her last Olympics this year, is the first Indian woman pugilist to win an Olympic medal in London in 2012. Vijender Singh was the first to win a boxing medal when he bagged bronze at the Beijing Games in 2008.

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