Lovlina Borgohain settles for silver as CWG gold continues to elude Olympic medallist
Glasgow, August 1
Tokyo Olympic bronze medallist Lovlina Borgohain saw her wait for a maiden Commonwealth Games gold medal continue after settling for silver in the women's 75kg boxing event at the 2026 Commonwealth Games, losing a closely fought final to Australia's Emma-Sue Greentree on Saturday.
The bout remained cagey throughout, with both boxers adopting a patient approach and waiting for openings rather than engaging in prolonged exchanges. With a minute left in the contest, Greentree stepped up the aggression, but Lovlina responded well by slipping the Australian's attacks and landing a few clean punches of her own, according to ESPN.
At the final bell, both boxers raised their hands in confidence, believing they had done enough to claim the title. However, after a tense wait, the judges awarded the contest to Greentree by a 4-1 split decision, leaving Lovlina to add a Commonwealth Games silver medal to her distinguished international career.
The result marked another near miss for the Assam boxer, who had entered Glasgow hoping to finally end her Commonwealth Games medal drought. Lovlina had suffered a quarterfinal exit at Gold Coast 2018 before bowing out in the opening round at Birmingham 2022. This time, she secured her maiden CWG medal but fell just short of the top step of the podium.
The 28-year-old reached the final after receiving a direct semifinal berth and then producing a dominant 5-0 victory over Tuvalu's Tarona Taafaki to guarantee herself a medal.
Widely regarded as one of India's finest boxers, Lovlina won a historic bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics to become only the third Indian boxer to claim an Olympic podium finish. A former world champion and Arjuna Award recipient, she also struck gold at the Elite Women's Boxing Tournament in Hyderabad in 2025. Away from the ring, she serves as a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) with the Assam Government.
Despite Lovlina's defeat, India's boxing contingent has produced its best-ever Commonwealth Games campaign. The country has already secured a record five gold medals through Preeti Pawar, Jaismine Lamboria, Sakshi Chaudhary, Priya Ghanghas and Arundhati Choudhary, while Jadumani Singh and Lovlina have contributed silver medals.
Overall, India has now won 35 medals at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games -- 11 gold, 16 silver and eight bronze -- to occupy fourth place in the medal standings. Australia continues to lead the table with 145 medals, underlining its dominance at the Games.
— ANI
Reader Comments
As an Assamese woman, I'm beyond proud of Lovlina di. She's not just a boxer but an inspiration for every girl in the Northeast. Silver is a medal to celebrate, especially given her journey - from quarterfinal exit in 2018 to a final at 2026. Next time, gold! 💪
Heartbreaking to see such a close fight go against her. Lovlina has consistently delivered for India, and silver at the CWG is no small feat. But I wonder - is the coaching staff preparing our boxers well enough for these close split decisions? Something to introspect.
The real story here is India's incredible boxing campaign - 5 golds already! This is our best-ever CWG performance in the sport. Lovlina's silver is a great addition to that. And being a DSP in Assam while training at this level? What a role model. 👏🎉
Lovlina is a legend, no doubt, but these split decisions can be so frustrating. She raised her hand thinking she won, and so did the Aussie. The judges saw it 4-1 her way, which seems harsh given how close the bout was. Anyway, silver at CWG is a great achievement. Onto the next challenge!
She's a deputy SP and a top boxer! Respect for Lovlina's dedication. The silver might not be gold, but her journey from a small village in Assam to representing India on the world stage is a story that deserves all the applause. Well done, champion! 🥈
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