Nishio (Japan): Lovlina Borgohain ended India’s 12-year wait for an Asian Games women’s boxing gold, defeating China’s Ziyi Bao in the 75kg final here on Friday.
Olympic medallist Lovlina defeated Bao by a 5-0 unanimous decision to upgrade the silver she had won at the last edition, where she had lost to another Chinese boxer, Li Qian, in the final.
With the win, Lovlina became only the second Indian woman after legendary MC Mary Kom to win an Asian Games boxing gold.
Mary Kom had won the flyweight (51kg) title at the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon.
Indian boxers have bettered their performance from the last edition by assuring six medals in Aichi-Nagoya.
Priya Ghanghas (60kg), Kapil Pokhariya (90kg) and Narender Berwal (+90kg) won bronze medals, while Parveen Hooda (65kg) and Ankush Panghal (80kg) will fight for gold later in the day.
India’s best-ever boxing performance at the Asian Games came at Guangzhou 2010, when the contingent won nine medals — two gold, three silver and four bronze.
The strong showing in the continental event comes on the back of India’s record breaking campaign at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow last month.
