Guwahati: Assam erupted in joy minutes after boxer Lovlina Borgohain cruised past Nien-Chin Chen in her quarterfinal bout of Women’s Welter (64-69kg) in the Tokyo Olympics on Friday.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma tweeted to congratulate the pugilist.
Taking to his Twitter Dr CM Sarma wrote, “This is a BIG punch. You continue to make us proud #LovlinaBorgohain and keep India’s flag high & shining at #TokyoOlympics2020”.
Lovlina is the first-ever woman athlete to represent Assam in the Olympics.
She hails from Assam’s Sarupathar constituency in the Golaghat district. The entire area celebrated her win by distributing sweets and dancing to the tune of Bihu songs.
In her village, natives and junior boxers initiated wall painting drives in various places in the Golaghat district to support and encourage the boxer.
Lovlina started training for boxing in 2012 under coach Padum Boro. She was taken under Boro’s wings after an impressive boxing trial held at her high school Barpathar Girls High School, by the Sports Authority of India.
In 2018 she won the bronze medal at the AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships. She repeated her feat again in 2019 and was conferred the Arjuna Award by President Ram Nath Kovind.
