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Boxing

Lovlina counterpunches mental block, critics on way to World Championships gold

Lovlina, who surprised everyone with her fighting spirit in Tokyo, has had to tussle with a heavy weight of expectations which laid on her shoulders after that historic triumph.

Lovlina counterpunches mental block, critics on way to World Championships gold
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By

Pritish Raj

Published: 28 March 2023 3:34 AM GMT

New Delhi: Lovlina Borgohain's Tokyo Olympics bronze medal happened less than two years ago. But for an Indian sports fan, it feels like ages ago. A lot has happened since that historic day the Ryogoku Kokugikan National Stadium for the Assam lass, who has witnessed a massive dip in form followed by a change in weight class.

Lovlina, who surprised everyone with her fighting spirit in Tokyo, has had to tussle with a heavy weight of expectations which laid on her shoulders after that historic triumph.

However, over the last few months Lovlina has been on the rise again. After winning the 2022 Asian Championships towards the later part of last year, she brought an end to her bronze medal jinx at the Women's World Boxing Championships on Sunday. She defeated Australia's Caitlin Anne Parker in the summit clash by a split decision.

Change in Weight Category after Olympics

The 69kg weight category was scraped off from the Olympics after Lovlina won the bronze medal in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. She was forced to bulk up from to the 75kg section.

The lanky boxer admitted that she found it tough in her new weight category as she was new to the field of play.

"I struggled with this new weight category and that is why performance dipped," Lovlina had told The Bridge before the start of the World Championships.

The dip in performance included early exits from the 2022 Women's World Championships as well as the 2022 Birmimgham Commonwealth Games.

Even as questions were raised about her form and performance in the ring Lovlina struggled with her personal life too.

The World Championships title she won at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium here was nothing more than a sigh of relief for the 25-year-old.

"I have worked very hard for this day. I am happy that I have won and that people have supported me throughout," Lovlina told The Bridge after her win.

"When I used to play in the 69kg category, I had an idea about my opponents and I knew how to play them. But in this new weight category, I did not know anyone. So I had to formulate my game according to them," the newly-crowned World Champion added

Competing in the new weight category though gave an advantage to Lovlina Borgohain in terms of height, especially in the final clash against Parker..

"I changed my strategy in the final round and the height advantage helped me. I am using my backfoot well and playing defensively when needed," she said.

Asian Games and Olympics in sight

Indian boxing High-performance Director Bernard Dunne had earlier confirmed that Indian boxers winning medals at World Championships will directly qualify to compete in Asian Games. The continental event will be the first qualifying event for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Lovlina has her priorities set.

"Now that I have finally gone through my mental block and won gold at the World Championships, it will help me in Asian Games and then Olympics. That is the focus now," she said.

For a major part of the last year and a half, Lovlina was written off as poor by fans and critics alike.

But as she has done with most of her career, Lovlina Borgohain has counterpunched her way through and made a statement with a roaring comeback at the 2023 World Championships in front of her friends, family and countrymen.


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