Lovlina Borgohain is once again among the nation's strongest medal hopes in CWG 2026Indian star boxer Lovlina Borgohain is once again among the nation's strongest medal hopes at the ongoing Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. The Assamese boxer is already assured of at least a bronze medal without throwing a single 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.She etched her name in the history books when she won an Olympic bronze at Tokyo in 2021. Now, as she prepares for the semifinal bout on August 1, she has an opportunity to change the color of the medal and add a golden glitter to her already shining career.13 Jul 2026 | 13:11What's one stereotype about women that you're tired of hearing?For someone who once cycled for hours on broken roads just to attend practice, and grew up in a village that lacked even basic infrastructure, simply reaching this stage is a remarkable story of grit. This is Lovlina’s story.A newspaper wrapper carrying Muhammad Ali's story sparked a dreamLovlina has often said Muhammad Ali was one of her earliest inspirations.Some dreams begin inside stadiums. Lovlina's began with a newspaper wrapping. According to Olympics.com and various media reports, she was just a Class 5 student when her father brought home sweets wrapped in an old newspaper. Printed on it was a photograph and story of legendary boxer Muhammad Ali.Curious, Lovlina asked her father to read the story aloud. That one newspaper article introduced her to boxing and quietly planted the dream that would one day make her an Olympic medalist. Years later, she would often say that Muhammad Ali was one of her earliest inspirations. As her career progressed, another icon entered her life: Olympic medallist Mary Kom. Watching Mary Kom convinced Lovlina that Indian women, too, could stand on the world's biggest boxing stage.Before boxing, she wanted to follow her sistersLovlina did not enter boxing immediately. Her mother wanted all three daughters to become kickboxers. Lovlina and her elder twin sisters, Licha and Lima, first trained in Muay Thai before moving to kickboxing. Her sisters represented Assam in national age-group competitions, while Lovlina continued exploring combat sports.Everything changed in 2012. During Sports Authority of India (SAI) selection trials held at Barpathar Girls' High School in Assam's Golaghat district, boxing coach Padum Boro spotted her potential. He invited the young athlete from the remote village of Baro Mukhia to train in boxing.Soon after, she joined the Netaji Subhas Regional Centre in Guwahati. She has never looked back.The girl who cycled for hours on broken roads Whenever she could, Lovlina helped her father in the fields before or after training. (Photo credit: The Indian Express)Success rarely comes with comfort. She grew up in Baro Mukhia, a small village in the Golaghat district of Assam. Lovlina's father, Tiken Borgohain, owned a small farm. The family had limited financial resources, and farming was part of everyday life. Whenever she could, Lovlina helped her father in the fields before or after training. Getting to boxing practice was another challenge altogether. According to multiple interviews with national media, Lovlina would cycle for three to four hours on uneven, damaged roads to attend coaching sessions. The roads were so rough that she often fell from her bicycle.But turning back was never an option. Years later, after she won her Olympic bronze medal in Tokyo, authorities reportedly confirmed the construction of a proper road to her village within hours of her historic achievement.When being 'too tall' became her biggest strengthAs a child, Lovlina believed her height was a disadvantage. Standing 5 feet 9 inches tall, she was noticeably taller than most of her classmates. Children often made fun of her. Her father, Tiken Borgohain, had told TOI in 2018, "Since Lovlina has always been taller than her friends, she used to be made fun of in school. But it is her height that helped her become the boxer she is today."A father who borrowed money so his daughter could dreamAccording to The Wire, Lovlina's father earned only around Rs 4,000 a month and struggled to support the family. There were times when he borrowed money so his daughter could continue her boxing journey.They pitied her parents for not having a sonPerhaps the toughest battles were not fought inside the boxing ring. In many parts of rural India, daughters are still seen as less valuable than sons. Lovlina has spoken openly about experiencing that mindset firsthand. After receiving the Arjuna Award in 2020, she told The Indian Express: "I remember how in the village they would often pity my parents for having no sons but three daughters. My mother would always tell us to do something to prove the critics wrong, and we did."While Lovlina became an Olympic medalist, her sisters also chose lives of service. Licha serves in the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), while Lima is with the Border Security Force (BSF).Training with an LPG cylinder during the pandemicLovlina used an empty LPG gas cylinder as workout equipment during the COVID pandemic.The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted athletes across the world. Training centres shut down. Gyms remained closed. Normal practice stopped. With limited equipment available, she used an empty LPG gas cylinder as workout equipment to maintain her strength and fitness. In a conversation with TOI, she had shared, “There were no facilities. So, I trained myself in the limited space I had. I used things like gas cylinders and water bottles. My diet also changed.”Alongside training at home, she continued helping her father with farming. Her father has often said that working on the farm keeps her humble and connected to her roots.Learning to defeat fear before defeating opponentsLovlina became only the third Indian boxer to win an Olympic medal after Vijender Singh and Mary Kom.Lovlina's rise was steady rather than sudden. After entering boxing, she began winning medals at international tournaments. She narrowly missed a medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast after losing in the quarterfinals. Instead of giving up, she bounced back with bronze medals at the AIBA Women's World Championships in both 2018 and 2019.One line has often captured her approach to competition. "Bhoi asile kintu bhoi korile medal nahe," she once said in an interview. Translated from Assamese, it means: "Fear will come, but if you surrender to fear, you cannot win medals."That philosophy carried her to the Tokyo Olympics, where she became Assam's first-ever Olympic medallist. She also became only the third Indian boxer to win an Olympic medal after Vijender Singh and Mary Kom.More than just a story of medalsEvery chapter of Lovlina Borgohain's story carries a lesson. A newspaper wrapping became a dream. A broken road became her determination. A gas cylinder became gym equipment. Being called "too tall" became an advantage. Being one of three daughters became a family's greatest pride.As she prepares to fight for another international medal, one thing remains unchanged. Lovlina has spent her entire life proving that circumstances do not decide a champion. Courage does.