India at Paris Olympics: Lovlina Borgohain Nurses Back Pain in Germany Camp With Days Left for Games

Add as a preferred source on Google

Lovlina Borgohain, the Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist in the women's 75kg boxing category, is currently grappling with low back pain during her training camp in Saarbrucken, Germany.

An official from the Boxing Federation of India (BFI) has confirmed to myKhel that Lovlina Borgohain has been dealing with this issue, which has raised concerns about her preparation for the upcoming Paris Olympics 2024 while she recuperates at the pre-Olympics national camp in Saarbrucken, Germany.

Despite this setback, the 26-year-old boxer remains focused on her goal of improving her performance from Tokyo. At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Borgohain made history by becoming the first woman from Assam to win an Olympic medal and only the third Indian boxer to secure an Olympic podium finish, joining the esteemed company of Vijender Singh (2008) and Mary Kom (2012).

Following her bronze medal in the women's 69kg category in Tokyo, Lovlina Borgohain has moved up to the 75kg category after her original division was removed from the Paris 2024 programme.

Borgohain's rise in the international boxing scene has been rapid and impressive. Born on October 2, 1997, she has not only achieved Olympic success but also clinched gold at the 2022 Asian Boxing Championships.

Although she faced a setback at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, where she did not secure a podium finish, Borgohain rebounded by winning gold at the 2023 World Boxing Championships in New Delhi and a silver medal at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou. Her resilience and continuous improvement position her well for another strong showing at the Paris Olympics, where she aims to upgrade her bronze to a higher finish.

However, the Indian boxing team's preparation in Saarbrucken has not been smooth. A mysterious illness has significantly impacted the team, particularly affecting Haryana's 21-year-old Asian Games bronze medalist in the women's 54kg category, Preeti Panwar.

Upon arrival in Germany, Panwar was unable to practice with the team due to this illness and was hospitalized for three days. She has recently rejoined the training camp, but her fitness remains in question, raising concerns about her performance at the upcoming high-stakes competition in Paris.

The illness hitting the Indian boxing contingent has added to the logistical and training challenges as they prepare for the Paris Olympics, starting on July 26, 2024. Despite these hurdles, Borgohain and her teammates are determined to perform at their best, with Borgohain especially motivated to build on her previous Olympic success and achieve an even greater milestone in Paris.

The BFI continues to support the athletes, addressing the health issues while ensuring their training progresses as smoothly as possible.