I wanted to quit boxing but I continued, had to change colour of Asiad medal: Lovlina

NISHIO (JAPAN): Lovlina Borgohain had planned to retire from boxing after the 2024 Olympics, but missing out on a medal at the Paris Games made her change her mind, a decision that paid off as the Indian star clinched her maiden Asian Games gold here on Friday.

The Olympic bronze-medallist defeated China's Ziyi Bao 5-0 in the 75kg final on her birthday, ending India's 12-year wait for a women's Asian Games boxing champion and upgrading the silver she had won at the previous edition.

"It was a tough year for me. (Earlier) I wanted to quit boxing. But I continued. I had to change the colour of my medal (at the Asian Games). It was very important. More important than that is that I continued (to play)," said Lovlina after her bout.

The Assam boxer, a former world champion, had won bronze at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 but returned empty-handed from the Paris Games.

Post Paris, Lovlina took a year-long break before returning to the international circuit with renewed determination. But her comeback did not immediately go to plan, with the Indian making a second-round exit at last year's World Championships before skipping the World Boxing Cup final.

She was also one of only two Indian women boxers who failed to win the gold at the Commonwealth Games this year, settling for silver.

But with the victory on Friday, Lovlina became only the second Indian woman after legendary MC Mary Kom to win an Asian Games boxing gold.

Lovlina admitted that her silver at the CWG had left her dissatisfied.

"I was not happy about winning the silver medal at the Commonwealth Games. But, there are a lot of things in an athlete's life: losses, injuries. You have to handle a lot of things. This gold medal was very important to me.

"That is how I continued. 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."

The 29-year-old, whose Olympic bronze came in Tokyo, said Japan had once again proved lucky for her.

"I have to be strong and win. I was very positive about everything. Japan is very lucky for me. I was always think about winning."

Asked whom she would call first after her gold-medal triumph, Lovlina had an obvious answer.

"The first person I am going to call is my mum. She doesn't watch my matches because she's very worried," she said.

Looking back at her younger self, Lovlina said a lack of confidence had once held her back and that she would now remind that version of herself of her ability.

"I had no confidence at that time, so if I had the chance to talk to my younger self I would tell her, 'You are confident, you are the best'. Now, I have a medal in every competition."

Asked about facing a Chinese opponent for the second time at the Asian Games, Lovlina stressed the importance of mental strength.

"I think it is important to be mentally strong. If we think that we have to win, no one can defeat us."