India’s Lovlina Borgohain is assured of at least a bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games without having to throw a punch. With only five boxers registered in the women’s 75kg category, the 28-year-old received a first-round bye and advanced directly to the semifinals.
The Tokyo Olympic bronze medallist will now face Tuvalu’s Tarona Khanum Badi Pasoni Taafaki in the semifinals on July 31. If she gets past the Tuvalu boxer, Lovlina could meet Australia’s Emma-Sue Greentree in the final, a formidable opponent who is a World Championships bronze medallist. Greentree, too, received a first-round bye. In the semifinals, Greentree will face the winner of the bout between England’s Mary Kate Smith and Nigeria’s Patricia Mbata.
Lovlina was surprised by the unusual route to the semifinals. “This is really surprising news for me. I never thought that I would get to the semi-finals this way,” the 28-year-old told the media here on Friday.
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The Indian boxer said she has not sparred with Greentree before but is looking forward to the possibility of facing her. “I haven’t played with her before. So, I hope that I can play with her this time,” she said.
For Lovlina, the Commonwealth Games medal had been the missing piece in an otherwise glittering career. She had won medals at the Olympics, Asian Games and World Championships, but a CWG podium finish had remained elusive. She has ticked that box as well.
“I have taken part in two CWGs (2018 & 2022) and in each of them, I had to fight around five to six bouts, but couldn’t win a medal. To win a medal for the country is always great and a big thing,” she said.
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Published on Jul 24, 2026