Lovlina Borgohain wins Asian Games gold, first Indian woman in two consecutive finals
Synopsis
On her birthday, Lovlina Borgohain delivered the perfect gift — an Asian Games gold in Nishio — while etching a record Mary Kom never reached: two consecutive Asian Games finals. India's boxing team has already exceeded its Hangzhou medal haul, with two more finals still to box.
Key Takeaways
Lovlina Borgohain won the women's 75kg gold at the Asian Games in Nishio on 2 October , beating China's Bao Ziyi 5-0 .
She became the first Indian woman to reach two consecutive Asian Games boxing finals — a feat not achieved by even Mary Kom .
Only the second Indian woman to win Asian Games boxing gold after Mary Kom.
The win came on Lovlina's birthday ; she also holds a silver from Hangzhou 2023 and a bronze from the Tokyo Olympics .
India has secured six medals at these Asian Games, surpassing its tally of four medals at Hangzhou 2023.
Ankush and Parveen Hooda still have finals to contest, keeping India's gold count open.
Lovlina Borgohain scripted history at the Asian Games in Nishio on 2 October, claiming the women's 75kg gold medal with a commanding 5-0 victory over China's Bao Ziyi in the final. In doing so, she became only the second Indian woman boxer to win Asian Games gold — after the legendary Mary Kom — and the first Indian woman to reach two consecutive Asian Games finals, a milestone that eluded even Kom herself.
A Dominant Final on Her Birthday
The victory carried extra sweetness as it fell on Lovlina's birthday, making it, in the words of Boxing Federation of India (BFI) president Ajay Singh, 'the best possible birthday gift.' Four judges scored the bout 29-28 in Lovlina's favour, while a fifth awarded her a decisive 30-27 card. She edged a tight opening round 3-2 before asserting complete control, taking both the second and third rounds 4-1 to close out the contest convincingly.
BFI Chief Hails a Historic Achievement
'It was a very tough match, and absolutely delighted. It is really a historic win. Lovlina is the first woman boxer athlete to be in two Asian Games finals, which is not even the great Mary Kom achieved that. So, very, very proud of her,' said Singh. He went on to describe her performance as exhibiting 'fantastic strategic intent,' adding that she stood as 'a wonderful role model to all the young girls in the country and the girls of the Northeast.'
India's Boxing Campaign Surpasses Hangzhou
The gold capped an already impressive team effort. India had claimed four medals — one silver and three bronze — from 13 events at the Hangzhou 2023 Asian Games. This time around, with two of India's strongest events absent from the programme, the contingent has already secured six medals: one gold and three bronze, with two finals still to come. 'This should be one of India's best performances ever in the Asian Games,' Singh said. For Lovlina personally, the gold adds to her silver at Hangzhou 2023 and a silver at the Commonwealth Games 2026, alongside her celebrated bronze at the Tokyo Olympics.
Two More Finals Ahead for India
India's boxing campaign is not yet over. Ankush and Parveen Hooda are each set to contest their respective finals, giving the contingent two further opportunities to add to the gold tally. Singh expressed confidence, stating the team would 'do our best and hope that we convert at least one of those two into a gold medal.' With the podium already rewritten, Indian boxing heads into those bouts on the back of its strongest Asian Games showing in recent memory.
Point of View
The sport's greatest Indian icon, never did — reach two consecutive Asian Games finals — signals a generational handover that the sport's administrators would do well to build on systematically. India's improved medal haul despite the absence of two of its strongest boxing events also raises a pointed question: is BFI finally getting selection and training cycles right, or is this an outlier? The answer will matter enormously for the Los Angeles Olympics cycle.
NationPress
2 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Lovlina Borgohain win at the 2026 Asian Games?
Lovlina Borgohain won the women's 75kg gold medal at the Asian Games in Nishio on 2 October, defeating China's Bao Ziyi 5-0 in the final. It is her second Asian Games medal, following a silver at Hangzhou 2023.
What historic record did Lovlina set at these Asian Games?
Lovlina became the first Indian woman boxer to feature in two consecutive Asian Games finals, a record not even held by Mary Kom. She is also only the second Indian woman to win Asian Games boxing gold after Kom.
How did Lovlina perform in the final against Bao Ziyi?
Lovlina won the bout 5-0, with four judges scoring 29-28 in her favour and one awarding her a 30-27 card. She edged the first round 3-2 before dominating the second and third rounds 4-1 each.
How has India's boxing team performed overall at these Asian Games?
India has secured six medals — one gold and three bronze — with two finals still to come, already surpassing the four medals won at Hangzhou 2023. Ankush and Parveen Hooda are both set to compete in their respective finals.
Who is Ajay Singh and what did he say about Lovlina?
Ajay Singh is the president of the Boxing Federation of India (BFI). He described Lovlina's win as 'really a historic win,' praised her 'fantastic strategic intent,' and called her 'a wonderful role model to all the young girls in the country and the girls of the Northeast.'
