Nishio, Oct 2: On her 29th birthday, India’s boxing star Lovlina Borgohain secured a historic gold medal in the women’s 75kg event at the Asian Games 2026. The Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist defeated China’s Bao Ziyi by a unanimous 5‑0 decision at the Nishio Gymnasium, becoming only the second Indian woman boxer to win Asiad gold after Mary Kom.
Borgohain dominated the final, winning four judges’ scores of 29‑28 and a 30‑27 card. She edged the first round 3‑2 before taking the next two rounds 4‑1 each, demonstrating clear superiority over her opponent.
She reached the final after a 3‑2 split‑decision win over Kazakhstan’s Natalya Bogdanova in the semifinal, having recovered from a first‑round deficit. Earlier, she secured a 5‑0 victory against South Korea’s Seong Suyeon in the quarterfinals, ensuring a medal at the Games.
India’s first boxing gold of the Games came as other Indian athletes also advanced to finals. Ankush and Parveen Hooda reached the finals in their respective categories, with Ankush overcoming a 1‑4 first‑round deficit to win 4‑1 over Erkinboev, and Parveen defeating China’s Li Shu 5‑0 to enter the women’s 65kg final. Both boxers will compete for gold on Friday, adding to India’s medal tally.
