Tokyo 2020: Lovlina Borgohain provides the spark that India needed

Bengaluru, July 31: Assam's Lovlina Borgohain provided the spark that India's Tokyo 2020 Olympics campaign badly needed with her exploits in the boxing ring.

The 23-year-old defeated former world champion Nien-Chin Chen of Chinese Taipei 4-1 in the quarterfinal to become the first among nine Indian boxers in fray at Tokyo 2020 to be assured of at least a bronze medal.

"Isi ladki se 4 baar haar chuki hun (I had lost to her four times earlier), all I wanted to do was prove a point to myself by being fearless against her. I was just looking for revenge," Lovlina had said with a wide grin after the fantastic win which has triggered celebrations across the country.

Tokyo Olympics: Lovlina Borgohain in 69kg semis, bronze assured

In the process, the multi-cultural and ethnic state of Assam has found its new unifying factor in the Olympics debutant, a very strong one at that, evidence of which was the manner in which the state rejoiced the young boxer's medal-clinching feat at Tokyo 2020.

After calls were made to numerous people across the state, it was found out that a good number of them woke up early on Friday (July 30) to follow one of their all-time biggest sporting stars in action at the biggest stage.

Didn't have any strategy, just wanted to fight fearlessly: Lovlina on historic win

Days after Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma led an unprecedented cycle rally to wish the state's daughter the best for the Games, people from all spheres of life discussed and celebrated her historic achievement at the sport's biggest stage.

Around the time Lovlina's first Olympic bout in Tokyo was to take place, all district sports associations across the state lit oil lamps to wish the boxer as the two-time World Championship medallist braced up for her career's biggest test.

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This was done at the behest of the Assam Olympic Committee, which has also played its part in her development.

"We've tried to do as much as we could. Last four-five years she has been working hard and the Boxing Federation of India and the Assam Boxing Association has also supported the boxers," Assam Olympic Committee general secretary Lakhya Konwar was quoted as saying by the PTI news agency.