Lovlina Advances to Asian Games Final with Olympic Quota, Preeti Secures Quota Despite Bronze
Lovlina advances to the Asian Games final, securing an Olympic quota, while Preeti secures a quota despite winning bronze.
Indian boxers Lovlina Borgohain and Preeti had contrasting outcomes at the Asian Games on Tuesday. While Lovlina won her semifinal match to secure a spot in the final, Preeti settled for a bronze medal after losing her bout. However, both boxers achieved a significant milestone by securing berths for the Paris Olympics next year.
Lovlina, the reigning World Champion in the 75 kg category and a bronze medalist in the 69 kg category at the Tokyo Olympics, defeated Thailand’s Baison Maneekon 5-0 on points. This victory not only propelled Lovlina into the final but also earned her an Olympic quota place for Paris 2024.
In contrast, Preeti, who had defeated Jordan’s Salina Alhasanat in the first round and Kazakhstan’s Zhaina Shekerbekova in the quarterfinals, was defeated by China’s Yuan Chang in the women’s 50-54 kg weight category. Preeti secured a bronze medal in the competition but also secured her quota place for the Paris Olympics.
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Lovlina faced a tough challenge from Baison Maneekon, who fought from the Red corner. After the match, Lovlina expressed her satisfaction, saying, “It was a good match. The second round was difficult, but I am so happy to reach the final and secure the Olympic quota place.”
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She described the bout as tough and admitted to conserving her energy for the final round. Lovlina emphasized the importance of the match as a qualifying opportunity for Paris 2024.
Preeti, on the other hand, found the experience of facing a Chinese boxer with strong local support to be a valuable learning experience. She believed that the lessons learned would help her prepare for the Paris Olympics.
“It was a good experience; I learned a lot. It will help me for the (Paris) Olympics. This game was a good opportunity to learn new things,” said Preeti after her bout.
While Preeti was pleased to secure her Olympic qualification, she expressed her determination to work hard and improve for the upcoming Olympics, stating, “It’s a good feeling qualifying for the Olympics. I will bring more heart next year. I will work hard to improve.”