Lovlina Borgohain crowned Asian champion for first time

Lovlina Borgohain won the 75kg gold medal at the Asian Elite Boxing Championships in Amman, Jordan on Friday.

This is Lovlina's first gold medal at the Asian stage. Her best finish before this was a bronze medal, which she has won two times in the past - in 2017 and in 2019.

Lovlina defeated Ruzmetova Sokhiba of Uzbekistan 5:0 by unanimous decision in the final on Friday.

This win is even more special for Lovlina, as this is her first medal in the 75kg category. She has moved up her weight category from 69kg because her previous category has been scrapped from the Paris Olympics programme.

Lovlina had bronze medals at the Asian Championships, World Championships and the Olympics to show before this. Now, with a gold medal in her trophy cabinet, it would seem the Assam boxer has started her campaign for the Olympics in earnest.

Apart from Lovlina, three others - Parveen Hooda (63kg), Saweety Boora (81 kg) and Alfiya Pathan (81+kg) - also won gold medals in their weight categories in the finals on Friday. This takes up India's gold medal tally from this edition to four. Minakshi lost in her final and settled for silver.

Last year, only one Indian woman - Pinki Rani - had won the gold medal at the Asian Championships.

This showing is Indian women's third-best performance at the prestigious tournament in terms of winning gold medals, after seven gold medals in 2005 and five in 2003.

On Saturday, five-time Asian Championships medallist Shiva Thapa (63.5kg) will look to clinch his second gold medal when he takes to the ring against Abdullaev Ruslan of Uzbekistan. Having already confirmed his sixth medal, Thapa is the most successful male pugilist in the competition's history.