Tokyo Olympics: Himanta Sarma hails 'Assam's pride' Lovlina Borgohain as she enters QFs

Assam Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma took to his Twitter handle to congratulate Indian boxer Lovlina Borgohain, who made it to the quarter-finals in the Tokyo Olympics 2020.  Olympic debutant Lovlina Borgohain in the first event defeated German player Nadine Apetz in a closely fought 16th round of the match on Tuesday. 

Read Assam CM's tweet here:

Lovlina Borgohain in Tokyo Olympics 2020

Borgohain, the lone Indian boxer in action on the day, prevailed 3-2 over her rival who is 12 years her senior, making her the first from her team to make it to the quarterfinals. Both the boxers made their Games debut.

Also, the 35-year-old Apetz was the first German woman to qualify for a boxing event at the Olympics. 

The two-time World and Asian championships bronze-medalist, Borgohain will next face Chinese Taipei's Nien-Chin Chen, who is seeded fourth and a former world champion, on July 30. A win in that match will bring Borgohain at least a bronze medal at the event.

Earlier on Sunday, Indian boxer Mary Kom entered the 16th round of the women's flyweight category after defeating Dominican Republic's Miguelina Garcia in 32 rounds. 

The lone Olympics athlete from the state, Lovlina qualified for the Tokyo Olympics in March last year and is competing in the welterweight category. Earlier, Assam CM organised a cycle rally in support of the athlete, who not only represents the nation but also the state of Assam.

(With agency inputs)