CWG: Lovlina secures bronze medal after direct entry into semi-finals

India’s boxing campaign got off to a strong start at the Commonwealth Games in Scotland, with star pugilist Lovlina Borgohain securing at least a bronze medal after receiving a direct entry into the women’s 75-kilogram semi-finals.The Olympic medallist from Assam received a bye into the last four of her category, guaranteeing herself at least a bronze medal. Under Commonwealth Games boxing rules, all losing semifinalists finish with bronze medals, ensuring Lovlina a podium finish before her first bout in Glasgow.
Competing in the women’s 75kg middleweight boxing division, the top-seeded boxer received a direct bye into the semifinals due to a compact five-athlete draw.  With only five competitors in the women’s 75kg category, three boxers, including top-seeded Borgohain, received direct byes into the semifinals, while the remaining two face off in a single quarterfinal bout.
Notably, Lovlina will begin her campaign on July 31, when she faces T.K.B.P. Taafaki for a place in the gold medal match. A victory would send the Indian boxer into the final, while defeat would still leave her with the bronze already assured.
Athletics competition is scheduled from July 27 to August 1 and will feature one of India's biggest medal hopes in Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra. The reigning world champion returns to the Commonwealth Games aiming to regain the title he won at Gold Coast in 2018 after injury ruled him out of the Birmingham edition four years later.