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'Wanted to gift myself gold on my birthday': Lovlina after historic prize at Asian Games
In Short
The decorated Indian pugilist did just that as she thrashed her opponent in the final by a unanimous score of 5-0 to become just the second Indian woman boxer to win an Asian Games gold, joining Mary Kom.
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'Wanted to gift myself gold on my birthday': Lovlina after historic prize at Asian Games
Nishio: Lovlina Borgohain wanted to gift herself a historic gold medal on her 29th birthday when she took the ring for her bout against China's Bao Ziyi.
The decorated Indian pugilist did just that as she thrashed her opponent in the final by a unanimous score of 5-0 to become just the second Indian woman boxer to win an Asian Games gold, joining Mary Kom.
She reflected on her historic achievement, calling it a gift for her on her cakeday. "I am feeling very good. I thought that I had to gift a gold medal to myself on my birthday. There wasn't a thought for even a second about a loss. It was a very tough fight. But I was always thinking that I have to win," she told reporters after the gold medal win.
The Indian pugilist recently clinched a silver medal at the Commonwealth Games 2026, losing in the final as the gold slipped out of her hands. However, Lovlina acknowledged that the CWG 2026 success was also a crucial one for her.
"It wasn't that after the Commonwealth Games. I was very happy to win the silver medal. There are many things in an athlete's life - there are losses and injuries that we have to handle and move forward. This gold medal was very important to me," she said.
Lovlina dominated the bout after bagging a close opening round by 3-2. She won the next two rounds by identical margins of 4-1 to win her second Asian Games medal, after a silver in the Hangzhou Games.
She was careful in the last round in the 2026 Asiad final after leading in the first two rounds. "Yes, the last round was very tough. The opponent was very strong. I was playing with her for the first time. So I had no idea how she was going to play.
"I was motivating myself that I have to win. I don't want to lose no matter what happens. Last round was also like that. I won the first two rounds and I was thinking that I have to win the third round too," she said.
"I came to the Asian Games to win the gold medal. I motivated myself that I have to be strong and I have to win. I was very positive about everything. Japan is very lucky for me. I was thinking the same thing all the time. It was my birthday, and I won the fight. It was tough, but I won strongly," she said.
This marks a historic achievement in Indian women's boxing as Mary Kom finally has someone who has won an Asiad gold alongside her 2014 Incheon victory. And it would take time for Lovlina to process this, she claimed.
"I am feeling good. I don't know how to celebrate my gold. It has just ended. I need some time to accept that I have won. I am feeling very good," she said.
