The Assam Amateur Boxing Association on Tuesday organised a “Good Luck” signature campaign for Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist boxer Lovlina Borgohain – the lone athlete from the state to represent India at the upcoming 2024 Paris Games.
State sports minister Nandita Gorlosa, sports secretary Kausar J Hilaly, Assam Olympic Association general secretary Lakhya Konwar and Boxing Federation of India (BFI) secretary Hemanta Kumar Kalita were the first ones to sign the campaign to wish luck to Lovlina, as she eyes her second successive Olympic medal.
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Wishing Lovlina on behalf of the people of the state, Nandita Gorlosa said that the lanky boxer will carry the hopes of 1.4 billion Indians, and the signature campaign was the best way to make her feel that she has the support of the entire country as she prepares for Paris 2024.
Lovlina, along with the rest of the boxing contingent reached the Paris Olympics Games village on Monday. The Indian boxing contingent, barring Amit Panghal, were training at the Sports Campus Saar in Saarbrucken, Germany for about a month before landing in the French capital city.
“Most of the Paris Olympics-bound Indian boxers were training together in Germany, before landing in Paris on Monday. I had a word with Lovlina on Tuesday morning, they had checked in at the Games village, and are happy with the facilities out there. All the boxers are in great shape, and have put in the hard work,” BFI secretary Hemanta Kalita told The Statesman.
“We are hopeful of a decent tally from our boxers in Paris. Don’t want to jinx it, but we are certainly hoping for atleast three medals this time. We are hoping for two medals from the women boxers and one from the men.”
“We are hopeful that Lovlina will change the colour of the medal this time. She has been doing well at 75kg over the past couple of years, and most importantly, she’ll be in Paris with experience of winning an Olympic medal in the past,” he added.
Six boxers, two men and four women, will be representing India in the 2024 Paris Olympics that kick off from July 26. The much-awaited boxing events start a day later from July 27.
Among the women are world champions Lovlina (75kg) and Nikhat Zareen (50kg), Asian under-22 champion Preeti Pawar (54kg) and Birmingham CWG bronze medallist Jaismine Lamboriya (57kg) while the men’s team comprises World Championships silver medallist Amit Panghal (51kg) and World championships bronze medal winner Nishant Dev (71kg).
