CWG 2026: Lovlina has a favourable draw, says Indian women's boxing coach as Olympic medalist confirms medal
Glasgow, July 24
Santiago Nieva, the head coach of the Indian women's boxing team, spoke on Olympic medallist Lovlina Borgohain's confirmed medal at the ongoing Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, saying that the boxer has a "favourable draw" ahead and the goal is to beat whoever comes her way.
Borgohain is assured of a medal at the Commonwealth Games 2026 after receiving a bye into the women's 75kg quarter-finals, meaning she does not need to win a bout to secure a podium finish. Boxing at the Commonwealth Games awards two bronze medals in each weight category, with both losing semi-finalists receiving a bronze.
As a result, reaching the last four guarantees a medal, according to Olympics.com. Lovlina's direct entry into the semi-finals came due to the small size of the women's 75kg draw, which features only five boxers. The category has just one quarter-final bout scheduled for July 28, between England's Mary Kate Smith and Nigeria's Patricia Mbata.
Apart from them, Lovlina, Australia's Emma-Sue Greentree and Tuvalu's Tarona Taafaki have advanced directly to the semi-finals.
Speaking as quoted by ESPN, Santiago said, "We have received the draw, and in Lovlina's weight category there are five boxers. She has a favourable draw and will go directly into the semifinals, where she will face Tuvalu."
"They (Lovlina and Tuvalu) have sparred before in Belfast, and we are confident that Lovlina is operating at a higher level. That said, she is a tough opponent and a southpaw, so we need to be fully prepared and perform at our best. On paper, our main rivals, England and Australia, are on the other side of the draw and will face each other in the semifinals. While the draw is favourable for us, achieving our goal will require us to beat whoever comes our way."
The Tokyo 2020 Olympic bronze medallist and former world champion will face Taafaki in the semi-finals on July 31, with a place in the final at stake.
The 28-year-old's medal will be her first at the Commonwealth Games, irrespective of its colour. Lovlina had exited the quarter-finals at Gold Coast 2018 after losing to eventual champion Sandy Ryan, while she suffered an opening-round defeat at Birmingham 2022. She competed in the 69kg category at both editions.
The medal will also complete Lovlina's medal tally at all major multi-sport events she is eligible for, having already won medals at the Olympics and Asian Games, according to Olympics.com.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Lovlina's journey from the quarter-final exits in 2018 and 2022 to now being guaranteed a medal is a testament to her resilience. Yes, the draw is favourable, but let's not undermine her hard work—she's been training like a beast post-Tokyo. Hope she goes for gold! 🥇
Good luck to Lovlina, but let's be honest—a "guaranteed medal" via a small field of five boxers feels a bit anticlimactic. The real test will be against England or Australia in the final. Hope she doesn't take it lightly and uses the semifinal to build momentum. Still, proud as always.
Finally a CWG medal for Lovlina! We've all been waiting since she missed out in 2018 and 2022. And to think she'd complete her Olympic-Asian-CWG medal trifecta—that's legendary territory. Please bring home gold, didi! Rooting for you from Dibrugarh 🙏✨
It's great to see Lovlina getting a medal, but I wish the CWG would stop using the outdated "two bronze medals" system—it really takes the edge off the achievement. Still, her journey from a small village in Assam to the world stage is an inspiration for every girl in India. Jai Ho! ❤️
Coach Santiago's confidence is well-placed—Lovlina has the skill and experience to beat Taafaki. But the real battle will be
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.