One of the most well-known faces of the 627 people of Bara Mukhia village in Golaghat district of Assam, Lovlina Borgohain, is not yet satisfied with her achievements. The two-time World championships bronze medallist boxer seeks to further excel in her sport.
Understandably, the 22–year-old, who has secured an Olympic quota place in 69kg, is disappointed to miss out on the National camp.
“Earlier, there was a problem (to train at home) due to the lack of equipment.
“Since I am part of TOPS, I asked for the equipment and got a punching bag and strength and conditioning equipment. It has benefited me. However, I am missing out on the camp as I cannot do proper training at home,” Lovlina told The Hindu.
Memorable
Nevertheless, Lovlina — who wholeheartedly helped fellow villagers by distributing food packets in the early phase of the lockdown — has spent some memorable time while being at home.
“Some time back, our financial condition was not good. We used to wonder what we would eat next. So, I know the condition of people in our area very well. There are people who don’t get to eat if they don’t work. A few weeks back, the situation was really bad. I did whatever I could to help people.
“Spending so much time with the family is relaxing. I also get time to watch videos of some fights and learn a few things.
“I can apply those only when I get back in the ring,” said Lovlina, who is in contention for this year’s Arjuna Award.
The postponement of the Olympics has been welcome sign for Lovlina, who is also an Asian championships bronze medallist.
“I have got more time to hone my skills. I may have got some medals, but I am not satisfied with my performance. I end up with a bronze medal. I want to work on my game and make it better.
“For me, the most important thing is the psychological aspect — how to handle different situations. The more we spend time on sparring, the more confident we become.
“For example, two opponents can use the same technique differently. One can figure out how to tackle both only in the ring.”