Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Lovlina Borgohain stated that her next aim is to bag gold at Paris 2024 after she arrived in India to a grand welcome on Monday.
“I want to say thank you to all. I am feeling good after coming back to India,” Lovlina told reporters at the airport. “I will try to change this bronze to gold.” Talking about her plans for the future, she reiterated: “I want to bring a gold medal in Paris Olympics.”
Indian boxer Lovlina Borgohain took the bronze medal after she lost the women’s welterweight (64-69kg) semi-final bout to Turkey’s Busenaz Surmeneli in the Tokyo Olympics on Wednesday. Busenaz Surmeneli defeated Borgohain by a unanimous decision of 5-0. All five judges gave decisions in the favour of Turkish pugilist as she stamped her dominance.
Speaking on the Indian boxing contingent performance at the Games, coach Chhote Lal Yadav told ANI: “I won’t call our boxing performance good but it is okay. At least we won one medal (Lovlina Borgohain). However, I am not happy with the decisions made (by referees) at the Tokyo 2020. Those decisions were very controversial.”
Earlier, another bronze medalist at Tokyo 2020, wrestler Bajrang Punia also received a large welcome from his fans, family, and loved ones at the Delhi airport. “It feels great to receive such kind of love and respect,” he said. Grappler Bajrang won a bronze medal in the men’s freestyle 65kg category on Saturday after defeating Kazakhstan’s Daulet Niyazbekov. Punia defeated Niyazbekov 8-0 in the bronze medal match.