Indian boxer Lovlina Borgohain clinched a gold medal in the women’s 75kg category whereas Shiva Thapa bagged silver in the men’s 63.5kg category in the ongoing 38th National Games. Assam’s Lovlina, who was boxing for the first time since the Paris 2024 Olympics, beat Chandigarh’s Pranshu Rathore 5-0 by unanimous decision to mark a triumphant return to the ring.
In the men’s 63.5kg category final, Shiva Thapa who represented India at the London 2012 Olympics, had to settle for silver after suffering a narrow 4-3 defeat against Vanshaj of Services Sports Central Board.
Meanwhile, junior world champion Ankushita Boro created history by beating Uttarakhand’s Kajal 5-0 and winning the 66kg welterweight event. Services’ Mandengbam Singh win his 51kg flyweight bout against Anshul Punia by a 4-1 split decision while Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Jaismine Lamboria won the women’s 60kg division after beating Haryana’s Manisha Moun 5-0.
Uttarakhand’s Nivedita Kari beat Haryana’s Kalpana 5-0 in the women’s flyweight 50kg event and Madhya Pradesh’s Divya Panwar defeated Uttar Pradesh’s Sonia Lather 4-1 in the women’s bantamweight 54kg category.
The 38th edition of the National Games is currently being held in Uttarakhand with 28 states, eight union territories and the Services Sports Control Board participating.
Services currently leads the standings with 66 medals- 39 gold, 14 silver and 13 bronze. Karnataka has 58 medals – 30 gold, 12 silver and 16 bronze, with second position in the medals tally. Nagaland, Bihar, Puducherry and Sikkim are the only four states yet to register a gold medal in the competition. The National Games 2025 began on January 28 and will continue till February 14.
