New Delhi — Marking her 29th birthday with a triumph, Indian pugilist Lovlina Borgohain secured the gold medal in the women’s 75 kg division at the 2026 Asian Games, edging China’s Bao Jiyi by a unanimous 5‑0 decision.

Dominating the Final

Bao Jiyi launched the encounter with high intensity, yet Borgohain remained composed, exploiting distance and timing to land crisp counters. As the bout progressed, she tightened her grip on the rhythm, denying her opponent any foothold and earning clean sweeps from all five judges.

India’s First Gold in the 75 kg Category

This achievement represents India’s inaugural Asian Games gold in the women’s 75 kg class. Earlier editions yielded only bronzes – Kavita Goyat in Guangzhou 2010 and Pooja Rani in Incheon 2014. Borgohain herself upgraded her 2022 Hangzhou silver, completing a rare podium climb from bronze to silver to gold.

Joining Mary Kom’s Elite Circle

With this win, Borgohain becomes the second Indian female boxer to claim Asian Games gold, following Mary Kom’s 2014 triumph in the 51 kg division. She also joins the select group of athletes who have earned both silver and gold medals at the Games.

A Grueling Semifinal

The road to the final was far from smooth. In the semifinal, Borgohain met Kazakhstan’s Natalya Bogdanova. After a tentative start, she rallied, amplifying her offensive output and ultimately securing a razor‑thin 3‑2 split‑decision victory – a milestone that made her the first Indian woman boxer to reach the Asian Games final in two successive editions.

From Olympic Bronze to World Champion

Borgohain’s resume sparkles with World Championship bronzes in 2018 and 2019, an Olympic bronze from Tokyo 2020 in the 69 kg division, and a seamless transition to 75 kg where she seized gold at the 2022 Asian Boxing Championships and the 2023 World Championships. She also added silvers at the 2022 Asian Games and the 2026 Commonwealth Games.

Her contributions to Indian sport have been honoured with the Arjuna Award (2020), the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna (2021), and an appointment as Deputy Superintendent of Police in Assam (2022).

Boost to India’s Medal Haul

Borgohain’s gold lifts India’s tally at the 2026 Asian Games to 12 golds out of a total of 70 medals (12 gold, 24 silver, 34 bronze), underscoring the nation’s strong performance across archery, shooting, athletics, kabaddi and cricket.