‘Women’s safety is extremely important’: Asian Games gold medallist Lovlina joins Delhi Police patrol

Fresh from winning Asian Games gold, Indian boxer Lovlina Borgohain joined Delhi Police personnel for a women-focused foot patrol in the Rajouri Garden area on Monday, highlighting the importance of creating greater awareness around women's safety.

Lovlina, who returned to India after winning the women's 75kg gold at the Asian Games, said she was pleased to be part of the Delhi Police initiative.

"Women's safety is extremely important, and the Delhi Police's initiative to conduct patrols focused on this issue is excellent," she said. "These patrols are being carried out across every sector in Delhi, and I am delighted to be a part of this effort."

The initiative comes amid continued public concern over women's safety in the national capital. Women and civil society groups have also held protests in Delhi over crimes against women and demanded stronger measures to ensure their safety in public spaces.

Lovlina defeated China's Bao Ziyi 5-0 in the women's 75kg final on October 2, securing gold on her 29th birthday. The victory also marked an improvement on the silver medal she won at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games.

Speaking after her return to Delhi, Lovlina said the timing of the victory made the achievement particularly memorable.
"This was a truly special feeling for me. The biggest highlight was winning this gold medal on my birthday. Every athlete dreams of competing at a major event and winning gold there," she said.

The boxer said her second Asian Games had also given her the opportunity to change the colour of her medal after her silver-winning campaign in Hangzhou.

"It was also significant because this was my second Asian Games; having won silver last time, I was determined to change the colour of the medal this time around — that made it incredibly special," she said.

Lovlina has now shifted her focus to the next Olympic cycle, with qualification for the Los Angeles Games among her key targets. She won bronze at the Tokyo Olympics but missed out on a medal at the 2024 Paris Games.

"Now, my preparations are focused on the Olympics. After winning bronze at Tokyo 2020, I missed out in 2024, so this time I am fully committed to giving my 100% and upgrading the colour of my medal," she said.

Reflecting on her recent run of success, Lovlina said completing her medal collection after the 2026 Commonwealth Games helped her approach the Asian Games without the pressure of having anything left to prove.

"I have a complete set of medals now — I finished the collection after the 2026 Commonwealth Games, which was a huge milestone for me. Going into this, I had nothing to lose, so my mindset was simply to go out and achieve something; I viewed any outcome as a privilege," she said.

Her immediate attention will now turn to the World Championships, which she sees as another important step towards securing her place at the Los Angeles Olympics.

"That was my approach, and I plan to maintain it as I prepare for the World Championships, with the ultimate aim of qualifying for the LA Olympics," she said.