Lack of overseas training and personal coach cost me: Lovlina Borgohain
The ace pugilist also hinted at the exit of women’s head coach Bhaskar Bhatt a year before the Games for her sub-par performance
New Delhi: Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist boxer Lovlina Borgohain has pinned the blame of her medalless run at last year’s Paris Games on lack of overseas exposure and personal coach. The 27-year-old was one of India’s brightest medal hopes at the quadrennial Games but crashed out at the quarter-final stage after a split decision loss to China’s Li Qian, the reigning Asian Games champion.
“There were multiple factors that led to our failed campaign. In terms of skills and mental strength, I don’t think Indian boxers lacked anything. What we lacked in the Paris cycle was proper guidance and management,” Lovlina said from Guwahati where she has resumed her training for the upcoming National Games.
“I earned the quota at the Asian Games which was 8-10 months before the Olympics. I feel instead of sparring with familiar partners in India, the qualified boxers should have been sent overseas for better exposure and quality practice,” she said. The Indian boxing team travelled to Sofia for Strandja Memorial tournament and a training camp in Montenegro in the months leading up to Paris, but Lovlina reckoned it was too little, too late.
“Those trips did no good to those who had already qualified. It was worthwhile for those who were yet to make the cut, but for us, it was like a vacation. I hope our training trips were better planned and we got better sparring,” Lovlina, who stepped up from 69kg to 75kg class for Paris, said.
The ace pugilist also hinted at the exit of women’s head coach Bhaskar Bhatt a year before the Games for her sub-par performance. “There was a lot of confusion regarding the coaches as the Olympics approached, which is not ideal. I don’t think having foreign coaches is the solution,” she added.
Boxing Federation of India appointed Bernard Dunne as high performance director in December 2022 which was followed by the appointment of Dmitry Dmitruk as the foreign coach four months later. While Dunne was shown the door after Paris, Dmitruk continues to be part of the set-up.
“Foreign coaches come with their own philosophy which may not always work. I think it is important to have Indian coaches in the system,” she said.
With boxing’s future uncertain for LA 2028, the thought of turning professional did cross Lovlina but she decided against it. “Soon after Paris, I gave pro boxing a serious thought. However, I decided against it because I believe I still have enough to give in the amateur circuit. Whether or not boxing stays in the Olympics programme is not in my control but I wish to continue for as long as I can,” she said.