Lovlina Borgohain had considered retiring from boxing to focus on her academy, but she set aside such thoughts after missing out on a medal at Paris Games.
The Assam boxer, instead, has now trained her sights on a second Olympic podium as she gears up for her international comeback at the upcoming World Championships.
The Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist has been away from international competition since the Paris Games last August. In the time away from the ring, she focused on setting up her academy, which was inaugurated in June in Guwahati.
“When I thought about starting my academy, I had planned to play until Paris (Olympics), and then maybe quit playing,” Lovlina told PTI.
“But the result in Paris wasn’t what I had expected. Had I won a medal there, that could have been my farewell.” In the French capital, the 27-year-old came agonisingly close to winning back-to-back Olympic medals but lost in the quarterfinals of the women’s middleweight (75kg) division to eventual champion Li Qian of China.
Asked if the 2028 Los Angeles Games could be her farewell if she finishes on the podium there, Lovlina was candid: “Yes, that is possible.”
“I could have won gold in the Paris Olympics as well because all those women who stood on the podium, I have beaten them all before,” she said with a hint of regret.
“I have defeated the champion, the silver medallist has lost to me twice, and I have also beaten both bronze medallists. That shows my level and I know I can win another Olympic medal. That keeps me going.”
Her comeback will begin at the World Championships in Liverpool on September 4.
But the reigning 75kg world champion, already a three-time Worlds medallist, admitted limited preparation, having played only one national-level tournament to make the road steeper.
She is focusing on building endurance and strength while also analysing her opponents.
“I’ll be competing internationally after a long break. I got only a month to prepare, so I have been working on endurance and also on strength.”
The tournament will also be significant as it is the first World Championships under the aegis of the new global governing body, World Boxing.
“IBA has been replaced by World Boxing, I haven’t played a single WB event. The weight categories have also changed, so many boxers will be moving around. It will be challenging.”
One of India’s most consistent performers, Lovlina already has an Olympic medal, multiple World and Asian Championships medals, and an Asian Games silver to her name. Yet, she remains hungry for success.
“I am addicted to boxing and still hungry for more medals,” she said.
“But my time away from the ring has been rewarding. I was working on my academy, taking care of every little detail. It was a very fulfilling experience because we are contributing to the country, that feeling is somewhere even better than winning a medal.
“There won’t just be one Lovlina from Assam but many. I always dreamt of giving back to the country. Boxing has given me so much, this is the first step,” she added.
