Lovlina Borgohain Knocked Out of Paris Olympics

Paris: India’s hopes for a boxing medal at the Paris Olympics were dashed on Sunday as reigning world champion Lovlina Borgohain suffered a heartbreaking quarterfinal defeat to China’s Li Qian. The 26-year-old boxer, who had previously clinched bronze at the Tokyo Olympics, was outclassed 1-4 in a fiercely contested match marred by frequent clinches and holds.

The bout was a high-octane affair from the outset, with both boxers displaying aggression. However, it was Qian who managed to land cleaner punches, particularly in the first round, establishing a 3-2 lead. The second round witnessed a similar pattern, with Qian’s precision and Borgohain’s tendency to hold proving crucial.

This loss marks the end of India’s boxing campaign in Paris, as Nishant Dev had already been eliminated in the men’s 71kg quarterfinals on Saturday. The six-member Indian boxing contingent, comprising four women and two men, faced an early exit for four of its members, leaving only Borgohain and Dev to carry the nation’s hopes.