38th National Games: Lovlina, Ankushita Clinches Gold; Shiva, Abhinav Win Silver

DEHRADUN: Assam got a major boost at the 38th National Games, which is currently ongoing in Uttarakhand, as four of its boxers delivered stellar performances, bringing home two gold and two silver medals.

Olympic bronze medalist Lovlina Borgohain and Junior World Champion Ankushita Boro showcased their dominance in the ring, securing gold medals in their respective weight categories. Meanwhile, Olympian Shiva Thapa and rising star Abhinav Saikia put up strong fights but had to settle for silver.

Lovlina, competing in the Middleweight (75 kg) category, decimated Chandigarh's Pranshu Rathore 5-0 in the final to bag the gold. On the other hand, Ankushita Boro, who is competing in the women's welterweight (66 kg) division, outclassed homegirl Kajal by an identical scoreline to bag the second gold for Assam.

With this victory, Ankushita set a new record, having reached the finals and won gold in three consecutive National Games, including the 2022 Gujarat and 2023 Goa editions.

Meanwhile, former 6-time Asian champion Shiva Thapa settled for a silver after losing narrowly to Vanshraj of the Services Sports Control Board (SSCB) in the final.

Young boxer Abhinav Saikia also impressed in his finals bout but had to settle for silver after losing to a Services boxer. Assam is presently in 22nd place in the medal tally, winning two golds, 14 silvers, and 11 bronze medals.

ALSO READ: Assam Government To Install Ambedkar Statue Outside Secretariat In Guwahati

ALSO WATCH: