Indian boxer Lovlina Borgohain won the third medal for the country at the ongoing 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games even though she could not make it to the finals of the women's welterweight category at the Kokugikan Arena on Wednesday.
Up against top seed and reigning world champion Busenaz Surmeneli of Turkey, the 23-year-old Indian put up a brave fight in her semifinal bout but had to eventually settle for a bronze as both losing semi-finalists get a medal at the Games.
The first woman boxer from Assam to qualify for Olympics, and the only sportsperson from the state competing in Tokyo, Lovlina is only the third Indian boxer ever to win an Olympic medal. Vijender Singh (Beijing 2008) and Mary Kom (London 2012) had also won a bronze medal at the Games.
Lovlina's bronze is also India's third medal at the Tokyo Olympics after weightlifter Mirabai Chanu won a silver on the opening day of the Games, followed by P V Sindhu's bronze in women's singles badminton event.
Bronze for #IND!
Lovlina Borgohain earns a bronze medal in the women's #Boxing welterweight category!@WeAreTeamIndia pic.twitter.com/lmIj0mvxuj
— Olympics (@Olympics) August 4, 2021
India could still move up in the medal's tally after some good show by its athletes on Wednesday. The Indian women's hockey team will also be taking on Argentina in the semifinal at the Oi Hockey Stadium later in the day with their first-ever Olympic final in sight.
Earlier today, young gun Neeraj Chopra qualified for the men's javelin throw final, to be held on August 7, after a brilliant throw of 86.65m which was well beyond the qualification mark of 83.50m.
.@Neeraj_chopra1 made entering an Olympic final look so easy! 😲😱
Neeraj's FIRST attempt of 86.65m in his FIRST-EVER #Olympics was recorded as the highest in men's Group A, beating @jojo_javelin's 85.64m 👏#StrongerTogether | #UnitedByEmotion | #Tokyo2020 | #BestOfTokyo pic.twitter.com/U4eYHBVrjG
— #Tokyo2020 for India (@Tokyo2020hi) August 4, 2021
While Anshu Malik lost to Iryna Kurachkina of Belarus, two Indian wrestlers Deepak Punia (86kg) and Ravi Dahiya (57kg) put up a stellar show to reach the semifinals in their respective categories.
Ravi defeated Bulgaria's Georgi Vangelov 14-4 in his quarter-final, Deepak got the better of China's Zushen Lin 6-3 in his last-eight bout.
Deepak, a current World No. 2, will now face USA's David Taylor while Ravi takes on Kazakhstan's Nurislam Sanayev in the semifinals which will be held later in the day.
That's how you finish in style! 😎
Second seed Deepak Punia gives #IND a semi-final entry in the men's 86kg freestyle wrestling! 🤼♂️#StrongerTogether | #Olympics | #Tokyo2020 | #BestOfTokyo pic.twitter.com/lb44bPOfsy
— #Tokyo2020 for India (@Tokyo2020hi) August 4, 2021
