Lovlina Borgohain Reflects on Japan's Positive Energy After Asian Games Gold

Our Sports Reporter

GUWAHATI: Japan, once again, gave Lovlina Borgohain a feeling that something special might be waiting for her.

The moment she touched down in Japan for the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, the Assam boxer said she felt a familiar positive energy. Japan is the country where she achieved one of the most significant milestones in her career: the country where she had scripted one of the biggest chapters of her career by winning an Olympic bronze medal at the Tokyo Games. This time, that feeling returned—and it eventually ended with a gold medal.

“Japan is a lucky place for me, as I won an Olympic medal there. So after touching down in Japan, there was a good feeling around me, and I started to believe that something postive could happen,” Lovlina said at a felicitation function held in her honour after her return from the Asian Games.

The boxer was felicitated at a function jointly organised by the Assam Amateur Boxing Association, Directorate of Sports and Youth Welfare and Assam Olympic Association. The ceremony came after a memorable homecoming, with thousands of people turning up at the airport on Tuesday night to welcome the Asian Games champion.

The giant reception left Lovlina pleasantly surprised.

“I was not expecting this type of welcome. It really surprised me. This is the love that constantly inspires me to try to do better and better,” she said.

For Lovlina, however, the Asian Games gold was not simply a product of hard work. She also believes that luck can sometimes play an important role in an athlete’s journey. At the same time, she was quick to point out that many talented boxers work just as hard but do not always get the result they deserve.

“I admit that I was a bit lucky. There are several boxers, even in our state, who are equally good and have worked equally hard but did not get the desired result,” she said.

Looking back at her Asian Games campaign, Lovlina said the semi-final was her toughest and best bout. Her opponent put up a strong challenge, and the Assam boxer had to fight her way through to reach the final.

“The semi-final was the difficult one. It was a tough contest for me, as the opponent fought very well. I somehow overcame her challenge 3-2,” she said. In the final, however, she made a conscious effort not to overthink the contest. Instead, she remained relaxed, trusted her preparation and tried to respond according to the situation inside the ring.

“Once I entered the final, I did not think too much about the game. I just stayed relaxed and decided to give 100 per cent in the ring. Though it was also a challenging contest, I stayed calm and tried to play according to the situation. I feel the experience helped me win the gold,” the  boxer said. Now, with Los Angeles firmly in her sights, Lovlina wants to approach the next phase of her career without putting herself under unnecessary pressure. Her first target is qualification, but her ultimate ambition is clear—to turn the Olympic bronze she won in Tokyo into gold in Los Angeles.

“Now I will not put any pressure on myself and will try to enjoy the game. The Olympics is knocking at the door. I will try to qualify for the competition and also change the colour of my earlier medal,” she said.

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