Boxer Lovlina Borgohain went down fighting in the semi-final of the women’s welterweight (69kg) to reigning world champion Busenaz Surmeneli at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Even though she lost the bout, she returned home with an Olympic bronze medal.

The 23-year-old lost 0-5. “Accha to nahi lag raha hai. I worked hard for a gold medal so it is a bit disappointing,” Borgohain said after the bout.

“I always wanted to compete in the Olympics and win a medal. I am glad I got a medal but I could have got more,” she said.

Lovlina was outclassed by her Turkish opponent who was superior to her in experience and that showed in the outing.

“I could not execute my strategy, she was strong, I thought if I play on the backfoot, I would get hit, so I went on the offensive but it didn’t work out as I had thought,” she explained.

“I wanted to hit her confidence, par hua nahi. She was relentless and that was the problem.”

Borgohain’s medal saw India get an Olympic podium finish in boxing in nine years. She also became the third Indian boxer to win an Olympic after Vijender Singh (2008) and MC Mary Kom (2012).

“I have worked for eight years for this medal. I have stayed away from home, not been with my family, not eaten what I would have like to, but I don’t think one should do this,” she said.

“I will take a break of one month or more maybe. I have never gone for a holiday ever since I took up boxing, I haven’t decided where I will but I will definitely take a holiday,” she said.

This medal has not just been life-changing for her but also for her native village in Assam’s Golaghat district and a concrete road is now being made leading up to her house in Baro Mukhia.

She laughed when she was told about it and merely said, “I am very happy that the road is being built. It would be nice when I go back home.”

The youngster, who started out as a Muay Thai practitioner, took to boxing in 2012. She is already a two-time world championships bronze-medallist.