From Sikkim with Love: How coach Sandhya Gurung turned Lovlina into a ‘lion’

GANGTOK: Lovlina Borgohain ensured a medal for India when she qualified for the semifinal in the Women’s welterweight division on July 30. The girl from Assam defeated Chen Nien-chin from Chinese Taipei in the quarterfinal bout at Tokyo Olympics. She next faces Busenaz Surmeneli from Turkey in the semi-finals on August 4. A lot of adulation has poured in for the rare tall pugilist from across the country. Closer home here in Gangtok, Sikkim, her coach, Sandhya Gurung was all praise for the success of Lovlina on how she has grown from a reluctant sparrer to now a Lion in the ring.

“She was a tall, shy girl, but the height advantage got her the attention from Assam in sub-junior camp. She was a bit reluctant in sparring, but we pushed her to fight that fear. Her target was always on the Olympics, ever since she went for the sub-junior world championship in 2013. She was playing in 75 kg category initially, later she came down to 69 kg eyeing for the Olympics,” Gurung told EastMojo.

Sandhya Gurung, a former boxer from Sikkim, fought paralysis to become a national-level boxer and now a coach to arguably one of the best finds in Indian boxing history. Sandhya Gurung hails from Burtuk in Gangtok.