Historic Moment: Indian Boxer Locks Up Medal Ahead of Commonwealth Games Opening

Glasgow, 23 July – India’s medal tally at the Commonwealth Games 2026 gets an early boost thanks to women’s middle‑weight boxer Lovlina Borgohain. The Tokyo 2020 bronze‑medallist received a bye in the 75‑kg bracket, propelling her straight into the semi‑finals and instantly guaranteeing a bronze medal under Commonwealth boxing regulations.

Only five athletes were entered in the division, so Borgohain and two others automatically advanced, while the remaining two contested a single quarter‑final bout for the final semi‑final berth.

Borgohain’s semi‑final clash is set for 31 July against Tunisia’s Taoufikou Tafaaki. A victory would place her in the gold‑medal match, ensuring at least a silver, while a loss still leaves her with the bronze she has already earned.

This will be the Indian boxer’s first Commonwealth Games podium finish. She previously fell in the quarter‑finals at Gold Coast 2018 and was eliminated early in Birmingham 2022, both times fighting in the 69‑kg class.

By securing this medal, Borgohain joins an elite group of Indian athletes who have stood on the podium at the Olympics, Asian Games and Commonwealth Games. She will walk with flag‑bearer Mirabai Chanu – the silver‑medallist weightlifter from Tokyo – during the grand opening ceremony, both representing the nation’s rising stature in women’s sport.

Borgohain’s resume already boasts a bronze from the Tokyo Olympics, a gold at the 2023 World Championships, and a silver from the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, confirming her as one of India’s premier combat‑sport stars.