38th National Games: Gold for Lovlina Borgohain, Ankushita Boro; Shiva Thapa, Abhinav Saikia get silver

Assam received a major boost at the 38th National Games as four of its boxers delivered stellar performances bringing home two gold and two silver medals.

Olympic bronze medalist Lovlina Borgohain and Junior World Champion Ankushita Boro showcased their dominance in the ring, securing gold medals in their respective weight categories. Meanwhile, Olympian Shiva Thapa and rising star Abhinav Saikia put up strong fights but had to settle for silver.

Lovlina Borgohain, a two-time Olympian and recipient of the Khel Ratna award continued her impressive form by clinching the gold medal in the 75 kg category. She defeated her opponent from Himachal Pradesh in the final after a commanding semi-final victory over a competitor from Nagaland.

This marks yet another milestone in Lovlina’s career, as she had previously won gold in the 2022 Gujarat National Games in the same weight category. Before that, she primarily competed in the 69 kg division.

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Junior World Champion Ankushita Boro created history by winning her third consecutive gold medal at the National Games. She dominated the 66 kg category, defeating her opponent from Himachal Pradesh in the final.

With this victory, Ankushita set a new record, having reached the finals and won gold in three consecutive National Games, including the 2022 Gujarat and 2023 Goa editions. In the semi-finals, she had overcome a tough opponent from Nagaland.

Arjuna awardee and seasoned boxer Shiva Thapa competed in the 63.5 kg final but fell short against a formidable opponent from the Services team, earning a silver medal. In the previous edition of the National Games in Gujarat, Thapa had won a bronze medal.

Young boxer Abhinav Saikia also impressed in his finals bout but had to settle for silver after losing to a Services boxer.

The success of Assam’s boxers at the 38th National Games highlights the state’s growing dominance in Indian boxing and sets the stage for future international achievements.