Eyes on the prize: For Lovlina, Paris 2024 is the only target in sight

Guwahati: Remember the Tokyo Olympics? Yes, the one which took place even as COVID-19 raged across the globe. Our memory is truly fickle: months after celebrating her as truly one-of-a-kind boxer, people started questioning Assamese boxer Lovlina Borgohain’s credentials after one loss at the World Championships. They got more fodder to further their agenda when the pugilist faltered at the Commonwealth Games too. 

Then, there was the switch: Borgohain had to switch weight categories after the global governing body (AIBA) decided to cull the 69kg welterweight division, in which Lovlina bagged the bronze in the 2020 Summer Games.

The AIBA announced new weight categories for the Paris 2024 Olympics, in which men’s boxing will see a total of seven weight categories, down from eight, while women’s boxing will have six, up from five.

Accordingly, Lovlina had to move up to the light middleweight 75kg division just after a heart-breaking quarter-final exit from the Commonwealth Games. With the odds already stacked up against her in the aftermath of her ‘mental harassment’ tweet after her coach Sandhya Gurung was denied entry into the Games Village in Birmingham, Lovlina had to silence her critics.

Also Read | Nikhat Zareen, Lovlina Borgohain seal CWG berths

And a freak nose injury (that landed her in hospital) during the trials for the Asian Championships in the 75kg bout made her case even more complex. Advised to rest for three weeks, the 24-year-old made a quick recovery and returned to the ring within a fortnight at the 36th National Games in Gujarat. She made a cautious start and more importantly saved herself from aggravating the injury to eventually fly out from Ahmedabad with a gold medal, her first in the new weight category after defeating Saweety Boora of Haryana in a pulsating summit clash.

Left with 15 days to board the flight to Amman, the hosts for the Asian championships, the Golaghat-born pugilist fine-tuned her skills under the Boxing Federation of India’s new high-performance director Bernard Dunne at the NIS, Patiala.

And in the Jordanian capital, the 5 ’11’’ boxer was on a rampage and silenced her critics by winning her first-ever international gold in 75kg. On a quick trip to Guwahati where the Assam Boxing Association (ABA) arranged for a felicitation event, EastMojo caught up with Lovlina for a candid conversation. Now, she is ready for the upcoming senior women’s national boxing championships, slated from December 12 in Bhopal.

Also Read | Lovlina elated to win Asian gold; says it will help her regain form

Excerpts:

Describe your experience of boxing in 75kg at the top level.

In the back of my mind, obviously the setbacks of the previous two big events were there, but having said that, I wanted to start afresh in the new weight class. It is difficult for any boxer to shift categories after getting used to a certain weight for a considerably long period. It was that transition phase in my career, in which I needed to keep myself motivated despite the disappointments in the World Championships and the Commonwealth Games.

Could you describe what adjustments you had to make?

During the transition period, the body undergoes a lot of changes (especially when you need to change weights) and also takes a while to get set or get used to it. Once the body is set and you go back to your regular training regime, you gradually get used to the new weight division. One needs to be patient. There will be ups and downs but there is no shortcut to hard work and dedication.

Before your return to the ring, you suffered a nose injury. How was that period?

Yes, it was a nasty hit during the trials (for the Asian championships). But the National Games came at the right moment, and I wanted to test myself at home before going abroad. The gold medal in Gujarat boosted my confidence as I had another 15 days to prepare myself for the Asian championships. I am expecting to peak at the right time and happy I could beat the mental demons.

Also Read | Debutant from Assam Lovlina Borgohain makes Olympic boxing QFs

Two consecutive golds to wind up the season, how do you look back?

The season is yet to end, as I have the national championships coming up from December 12. A good performance at the nationals will help in earning crucial ranking points. The preparations for the tournament have already started, and as you know there is a good level of competition in the 75kg class at home. So every boxer will come prepared and you need to be on top of your game.

How has new high-performance director Bernard Dunne’s inclusion helped the Indian team?

We did not get much time with Bernard, maybe it was for 15-16 days, and during that time, he would supervise our training sessions under our coaches. He has this knack for observing even the minutest of details and believes in improving by at least one per cent in our game. In big-ticket events, the margin of error is negligible, and more often than not, the bouts are closely fought and end up in 3-2 verdicts. It is that one per cent improvement in each boxer’s technique that Bernard focuses on, and hopefully that works out well in the future tournaments.

Also Read | Assam: Lovlina Borgohain appointed DSP

2023 is going to be very crucial as the Olympic circle starts. How are you looking forward to it?

The main focus is on qualification for Paris 2024, and Asian Games being the qualifier will be the top priority. Before that, the immediate target is to win a gold medal in next year’s World Championship to be held in New Delhi. The focus is on consistently delivering the results but at the end of the day, like all human beings, athletes can have an off day and need to be understood.

Do you feel the Asian c’ship gold will keep you in good stead for the Asiad?

For boxers, the Asian championship is a tougher competition than even the Commonwealth Games. Winning gold at the Asian championships always boosts your confidence going into the Asiad, as you are most likely to face the same kind of opponents in the continental meet. I would say, the gold medal is a reflection that my hard work and training are on the right track.

Also Read | Lovlina Borgohain elected as IBA Athletes Committee Chair