'Truly Special Feeling': Lovlina, Parveen, Ankush Reflect on Asian Games Gold Wins
Lovlina Borgohain, Parveen Hooda, and Ankush Panghal reflect on their historic gold medal wins at the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya.
Indian boxing stars Lovlina Borgohain, Parveen Hooda, and Ankush Panghal have returned home following a historic performance at the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya. The trio, who secured gold medals, reflected on their memorable victories and their ambitious goals for the future after leading India to its best-ever boxing performance at the games.
India concluded its campaign with a total of six boxing medals—three gold and three bronze—surpassing the previous record of two golds set at the Guangzhou 2010 Asian Games.
Lovlina Borgohain: A Birthday Gift and Olympic Ambitions
For Lovlina Borgohain, the gold medal in the women's 75kg category was more than just a sporting achievement; it was a personal milestone. Defeating China's Bao Ziyi with a 5-0 scoreline on October 2, Lovlina celebrated her 29th birthday on the podium.
"This was a truly special feeling for me. The biggest highlight was winning this gold medal on my birthday," Lovlina told ANI. She noted that after winning silver at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games, she was determined to change the color of her medal.
Looking ahead, the veteran boxer has her sights set on the Los Angeles Olympics. "Now, my preparations are focused on the Olympics. After winning bronze at Tokyo 2020, I missed out in 2024, so this time I am fully committed to giving my 100% and upgrading the color of my medal," she said, adding that her ultimate goal is qualifying for the LA Olympics after a successful run at the World Championships.
Parveen Hooda: Overcoming Struggles to Defeat World No. 1
Parveen Hooda secured her gold in the women's 65kg final through a gritty 3-2 split decision victory against Chinese Taipei's Chen Nien-chin. The win marks a massive comeback for Parveen, who had previously faced setbacks following a doping whereabouts failure during the 2022 Asian Games.
"It feels amazing to have achieved something for India; there was a long period of struggle and a lot of hard work involved," Parveen reflected.
The victory was particularly significant as her opponent was the world number one and an Olympic medalist. "My mindset was simply that everyone is human; anyone can lose, and I could beat her," Parveen explained. She noted that while the second round swung in favor of the champion, she knew she had to go all out in the final round to unlock her own confidence.
Ankush Panghal: Ending the Men's Gold Drought
Ankush Panghal completed the Indian gold treble in the men's 80kg category by defeating South Korea's Kim Min-seong. The reigning Commonwealth Games champion became the first Indian man to win an Asian Games boxing gold since Amit Panghal in 2018.
Panghal displayed dominance throughout the bout, taking the opening round 4-1 and following it up with a decisive 5-0 win in the second round, maintaining his lead until the end.