Lovlina Borgohain in action. (FILE photo)
The last time Lovlina Borgohain donned a pair of gloves to box in a ring was at the Paris Olympics. Almost six months have passed since that heartbreaking loss to eventual gold medallist Li Qian – a Chinese titan who is the best middleweight woman boxer in the world. In contrast to the bright lights of the French capital, Borgohain will now compete at Pithoragarh in the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand, next to the Nepal border.
After an extended break after the Olympics, the Indian boxing star will take the first steps towards a return to her sport when she participates at the National Games, being held across Uttarakhand. Also in her plans is a possible trip to the Kumbh Mela.
“After Paris, it’s been a long break. The National Games will be my season-opening competition. My fitness is not as good as it was prior to Paris because of the long break. The return has been a little difficult but I feel the National Games could be a good platform to make a comeback. I haven’t analysed anyone or prepared for any boxer,” the Assamese boxer told The Indian Express.
“The Kumbh is also taking place at this time so I’m excited to go visit that as well after the Games.”
The lead-up to the Paris Olympics and the pressure, being a medallist from Tokyo, took its toll on Borgohain. After returning to India, the boxer joined an ashram, saying that mental peace and a recalibration of her goals was needed.
“I came out of the ashram with a few goals. In terms of boxing, I want to be even more focused on certain areas and key tournaments. I also want to do something for children in Assam,” Borgohain said.
She also found herself at her home in Assam for an extended period – a rare occurrence since becoming an international boxer. Just like her compatriot boxer Nikhat Zareen, the 27-year-old wanted to go on a sightseeing holiday. Manali was her destination of choice, just as Kashmir was Zareen’s. Treks along the peaks followed but the highlight of the trip was when Borgohain got to check an item off her bucket list.
From a young age, she would ride her father’s bike in her village of Baromukhia. Now a double-Olympic veteran, Borgohain owns two bikes of her own. In Manali though, she and her friends rented bikes and went on a trip.
“This is probably the biggest break I’ve given myself since I started boxing. This time was an opportunity to get to know myself. I went with my friends to Manali. Over there, we rented a few bikes and rode all the way to Ladakh. I enjoyed the road from Manali to Ladakh,” she said.
Looking ahead
The Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist will be part of World Boxing’s World Championships in September and the World Cup Finals being held in India. However, she is unclear about other international tournaments as of now.
The 75kg boxer will be 31 when the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics roll in. Part of the newly-formed World Boxing’s Athlete Commission, Borgohain is confident that the sport will find its feet just under four years from now. How she intends to get there is a harder question.
“I don’t want to look at my game and evaluate it from a point of nitpicking. I don’t want to change how I fight on a technical level. I want to focus on the things I do well and look at them positively. Looking at some other boxer and trying to take bits of their game is something I’m not looking to do. It’s better to ask questions from myself and find answers within,” Borgohain added.
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