Target was to win 6 gold medals, says coach Pranamika
Former Assam pugilist is impressed with the rise of Lovlina and Nikhat Zareen
Guwahati: March 29: Indian boxers did well by winning four gold medals in the recently concluded IBA World Boxing Championships.
This is the second time in history that India have won four gold medals at the women’s world boxing championships with the only other occasion being in 2006 when Mary Kom, Sarita Devi, Jenny Lalremliani and Lekha KC had won gold for the country.
This time, apart from Lovlina Borgohain who won gold in the 75kg weight category, Pranamika Bora is another Assam connection in the world championships.
Pranamika, a former boxer with multiple medals at national and international events accompanied the team as a coach.
“To be honest, we expected two more gold medals. Our target was six gold medals. We couldn’t break the record of 2006 when we had won eight medals – four gold, one silver and three bronze. We were expecting to break that record, our highest haul in world championships. But it didn’t happen. But then, we must appreciate our girls for their efforts,” Pranamika told *The Assam Tribune* during an interview.
Pranamika has highly impressed by Lovlina and Nikhat Zareen (50kg) who won two consecutive gold medals in the world championships.
“The confidence and the body language, both on and off the ring, I must say, Nikhat, is a true champion. What she has achieved is not a joke. And I’m hoping she will get qualified for the Olympics in the Asian Games,” Pranamika added.
She also rated Lovlina highly. As per the coach, Lovlina is the number one boxer in the country in her weight category.
“In the last couple of years, Lovlina has improved a lot. Technically and otherwise, she improved tremendously. She displayed superb technique and quality in the semifinal. Lovlina couldn’t play as good as she did in the semifinal. But it’s alright,” Pranamika opined.
Lovlina ousted the 2018 World Champion Li Qian of China with a 4:1 victory on points in the semifinal. The bout kept going back and forth with the Assam-born pugilist grinding hard to prevail by 3:2 in the first round before her Chinese opponent made a comeback to win in the second by 2:3.
Despite both pugilists going at it hammer and tongs, it was the 25-year-old Indian who shifted gears impressively and sealed the win with a supreme attacking display in the final round. Lovlina defeated two-time Commonwealth Games medallist Caitlin Parker of Australia in the final.
Pranamika, who has been associated with the National Boxing Academy in Rohtak, is hopeful about the boxing scene in India.
“It’s great to see a lot of youngsters are coming to join boxing. I think this is a good sign. This is an Olympic sport and the lucrative prize money these days the federation is offering, has attracted the youngsters,” she added.
