New Delhi – Celebrating her 29th birthday with a historic triumph, Indian pugilist Lovlina Borgohain clinched the gold medal in the women’s 75 kg division at the 2026 Asian Games, outpointing China’s Bao Jiyi by a clean‑sweep 5‑0 decision.
Dominating the Championship Bout
While Bao Jiyi tried to dictate the pace early on, Lovlina remained composed, exploiting distance and timing to land crisp counters. As the rounds progressed, she tightened her control, neutralising her opponent’s rhythm and earning unanimous approval from all five judges.
India’s First Gold in the 75 kg Category
This victory marks the inaugural Asian Games gold for India in the women’s 75 kg class. Earlier editions only produced bronze medals – Kavita Goyat in Guangzhou 2010 and Pooja Rani in Incheon 2014. Lovlina herself upgraded her 2022 Hangzhou silver to gold, completing a rare podium sweep of bronze, silver and now gold.
Joining Mary Kom’s Exclusive Circle
With this win, Lovlina becomes only the second Indian woman boxer to stand atop the Asian Games podium, following Mary Kom’s 2014 triumph in the 51 kg division. She also joins a select group of athletes who have secured both silver and gold medals at the Games.
A Tough Semifinal Battle
The road to the final was anything but easy. In the semifinals, Lovlina faced Kazakhstan’s Natalya Bogdanova. After a shaky start, she rallied, increasing her offensive output and ultimately edging a tight 3‑2 split‑decision – a milestone that made her the first Indian woman boxer to reach the Asian Games final in two successive editions.
From Olympic Bronze to World Champion
Lovlina’s résumé reads like a trophy cabinet: World Championship bronzes in 2018 and 2019, an Olympic bronze at Tokyo 2020 in the 69 kg division, and a seamless move to 75 kg where she captured gold at the 2022 Asian Boxing Championships and the 2023 World Championships. She also added silver medals from the 2022 Asian Games and the 2026 Commonwealth Games.
Her contributions to Indian sport have been honoured with the Arjuna Award (2020), the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna (2021), and a posting as Deputy Superintendent of Police in Assam (2022).
Boost to India’s Medal Tally
Lovlina’s gold lifts India’s medal count at the 2026 Asian Games to 12 golds out of a total of 70 medals (12 gold, 24 silver, 34 bronze), underscoring the nation’s strength across archery, shooting, athletics, kabaddi and cricket.
