Lovlina Borgohain was defeated in the semi-finals of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, earning a bronze medal in the process. Turkey’s Busenaz Surmeneli got the better of Borgohain in a 5-0 victory in the 74-69kg category.
She confirmed the bronze medal last week and became the third Indian boxer in history to win an Olympic medal for India after Vijender Singh and Mary Kom. The match was a hard-fought affair, and Borgohain could not get the better of the Turkish World Champion after three rounds.
The match started very aggressively and Borgohain managed to land a few uppercuts. The referee had to get involved to separate the two boxers, but Surmeneli took the first bout.
The second round saw the 23-year-old try uppercuts, and switch to body shots later. She got in a few jabs towards the end, but had a point deducted for a punch after the whistle was blown. The third and final round had the odds stacked against the Indian, and the only way she could’ve won was by knockout. However, Surmeneli dominated the round yet again and got the well-deserved victory to send her to the finals.
After a commendable performance in the Olympics, the young Indian became not only the first boxer from Assam to participate in the Olympics, but also brought home a medal. She battled COVID in October 2020, and has made the country proud after recovery from the virus and her efforts in the ring.
