Lovlina wages own fight off the ring

CHENNAI: Lovlina Borgohain is renowned for her explosive punch and nimble footwork inside the boxing ring. But now, she’s fighting for a cause off the ring. Several people in India have been bearing the brunt of lockdown that was imposed in a  bid to control the spread of the coronavirus. There are many who have been lending a hand to people in need. The two-time World Championships bronze winner did her bit on Monday, helping several underprivileged families in her hometown in Golaghat, Assam.

“I was raised here (Golaghat) and there are many who are facing difficulties, some of them are not getting food. I felt we should aid them. My father also helped me, everyone in my family supported me,” Lovlina, who with the help of her father Tiken Borgohain provided ration to over 200 families in Barpathar area, said.

Someone who’d shy away from social media not so long ago, there has been more conscious activity on that front to engage with people. “I’m telling everyone on social media to join the cause. There are many people who are willing to help but are unable to do the same. I’ve been posting vidoes on Facebook and Instagram.”

Two back-to-back medals in the World Championships in 2018 and 2019 and an Olympic quota in the bag, Lovlina has been a reliable performer inside the ring over the last few years. But she admitted that she’s still a work-in-progress. “I have plenty of room for improvements. But there have been little improvements in my game. Every day I find myself asking ‘why am I not able to give a performance that can be termed excellent?’, the 22-year-old, who competes in the 69kg category, noted.

One key area that she’s been working on is the psychological aspect of her game. One can make sense that she’s learnt a great deal after a fair amount of experience at the elite level. “I believe boxing is all about intelligence. There’s no doubt you require power and stamina but my rivals will also be equally strong on those fronts. Everyone trains hard and you’re bound to gain power and stamina. That’s why the mental aspect becomes vital: being able to handle the pressure of big competition. With fans screaming on top of their lungs, a lot of things come into your mind and you tend to get nervous too,” remarked Lovlina.

India women’s team high-performance director Raffaele Bergamasco has seen her evolve over the years and is satisfied with her output. But like Lovlina, he pointed out that she can improve on dealing with pressure better and other factors that affect boxers’ minds. “Her physique is excellent for a 69kg boxer and her speed and counter-attack have been vital to her success. She just needs to work on her physical strength and confidence,” he noted.

Having secured the Olympic ticket during the Asia Olympic qualifiers in Amman, she is leaving no stone unturned to live her dream next year. “I’ve been practising meditation for a while now. I have been trying to train myself, the psychological aspect. Sometimes, I’m unable to control my emotions but there have been improvements. I feel I have improved only 10 per cent. Only if I can improve it by 100 per cent, I can become an Olympic champion.”