NDTV World Summit 2026 - Paris Setback, Asian Games Glory: Lovlina Borgohain's New Perspective

Lovlina Borgohain (right) at the NDTV World Summit 2026.© NDTV

Lovlina Borgohain has seen a lot since she won the bronze medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. That high was followed by a gold medal at the 2023 World Championships and a silver at the 2022 Asian Games. However, she returned empty-handed from the 2024 Paris Olympics. At the NDTV World Summit 2026 on Friday, Lovlina confessed that she had moved away from the sport for a while before rediscovering her love for boxing.

"After the 2020 Olympics, after winning a medal, my target was to change the colour of the medal. I sacrificed a lot because of it. But when I could not win a medal in 2024, I thought I would not be able to box again. I distanced myself from boxing. I started looking at it as just a profession. When I stayed away from boxing, I realised I could not live without it. But now I am not chasing any target. I want to enjoy the sport because this is my life. I have two years ahead of me, and I want to fully enjoy this journey," she said.

At the 2026 Asian Games, Borgohain was in superb form. She won the women's 75kg gold medal after defeating China's Bao Ziyi 5-0 in the final.

She also revealed a lot about her struggles with weight management.

"At the 2020 Olympics, my weight category was 69kg. Now I compete in the 75kg category. In boxing, it is very difficult to gain or lose weight. Vinesh Phogat faced a similar issue at the Paris Olympics and missed out on a medal. Moving to 75kg was tough," she said.

Lovlina also spoke about Muhammad Ali's influence on her journey.

"My journey started with Muhammad Ali. I come from a village. My father was a tea garden worker and my mother was a homemaker. My father used to come home on Sundays with sweets. One day, they were wrapped in a newspaper that had a photo of Muhammad Ali. He told me about Muhammad Ali and said boxing was a sport through which we could make India proud. That is where the dream first took shape. However, there were no proper facilities.

"Life gave me an opportunity. I was selected for a SAI grassroots talent programme. From there, my boxing journey truly began."

The 29-year-old boxer's next target is the World Championships, where the gold and silver medallists will earn direct qualification for the Olympics.

Featured Video Of The Day

CWG 2026 Weightlifting Gold Medallist, Mirabai Chanu Get Hero's Welcome in Delhi