Tokyo Olympics: Anurag Thakur and Kiren Rijiju praise Lovlina Borgohain after boxer wins bronze

After Mirabai Chanu, boxer Lovlina Borgohain has assured the nation of another medal after qualifying for the semi-finals in the welterweight category. Congratulations poured in for the two-time World Championship medallist.

Sports minister Anurag Thakur, Union minister Kiren Rijiju and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma were among those who hailed Borgohain and said, 'well done.

Borgohain hails from Assam and CM Sarma termed it as a 'big punch', thanking her for making the nation proud and keeping its flag 'high and shining'.

Former Sports minister Rijiju praised the 23-year-old for her 'lovely boxing' and added that she was looking good for a gold medal too.

This is Borgohain's first appearance in an Olympics. She assured India of a medal by beating former world champion Nien-Chin Chen of Chinese Taipei. She won the encounter 4-1.

The boxer displayed commendable calm against a tough opponent. She earned the win riding on an impressive counter-attacking game, after an aggressive start and maintaining a tight defence towards the end.

Borgonain, who is a two-time broze medalist at the World Championship, had recovered from COVID-19 last year. She is now scheduled to play current world champion Busenaz Surmeneli of Turkey.

This is set to be the third medal for India in boxing after Vijender Singh and Mary Kom's bronze medal wins in 2008 and 2012 respectively.

India won its first medal in this year's Olympics courtesy another athlete from the north-east. Manipur's Mirabai Chanu won the silver in the 49-kg weightlifting category. The weightlifter has become a household name with not just congratulations, but also prize money being awarded for her.