Tokyo Olympics medallist Lovlina Borgohain could move down to the 70kg category after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) scrapped her current 75kg weight class for the 2028 Los Angeles Games, forcing her to pick a new division.
The IOC on Wednesday announced the event programme and athlete quotas for the LA Games. With the rejig, Borgohain will have to either move down to 70kg or bulk up to +80kg.
"This is brand new information for me. It is quite shocking," Borgohain, who was caught off guard by the development, told PTI from Guwahati.
"I think I will have to move down to 70kg because it will be difficult for me to go up to +80kg," she said.
Her personal coach Pranamika Bora was equally surprised by the development but said the final call would be made only after a series of fitness and medical assessments.
"Really surprised by this news. It's too soon to commit to anything. She can fight in both weight categories as she has the height to play in +80kg as well," Bora said.
"But we will conduct some tests to check what is best for body, cutting weight or bulking up. After that we will take a call."
Currently, Borgohain's natural weight is 74kg and Bora stressed that losing too much weight could lead to reduction in strength.
"Right now her natural weight is 74kg and cutting too much could lead to her losing strength. So we will see what givers her more advantage," said Bora, who travelled with Borgohain for the Paris Olympics.
Boxing, which was confirmed for inclusion in the 2028 Olympics only last month, will feature an equal number of men and women's event (seven each) for the first time.
An additional women's weight category has been added since the Paris Games.
The new Olympics women's categories include 51kg (Flyweight), 54kg (Bantamweight), 57kg (Featherweight), 60kg(Lightweight), 65kg (Welterweight), 70kg (Light Middleweight), and +80kg (Heavyweight).
The axing of 75kg comes as surprise as World Boxing, which was provisionally recognised by the IOC as the new governing body of the sport in February, currently has the 75kg weight class on its roster instead of +80kg.
This isn't the first time Borgohain has had to switch categories due to a rejig. Ahead of the Paris Games, she moved up from her then favoured 69kg division to 75kg after the former was axed from the Olympic programme.
Despite the shift, Borgohain adapted impressively. She won gold at the 2022 Asian Championships, clinched the 2023 World Championship title, and took silver at the Hangzhou Asian Games.
Should she opt for 70kg, it would mark a return to a weight class close to the 69kg category in which she won bronze at the Tokyo Games.
The Assam boxer has also won two bronze medals each at the World Championships and Asian Championships while competing in welterweight, where her height gave her a distinct edge.
Two-time world champion boxer Nikhat Zareen, who competed in 50kg in the previous Olympic cycle, is expected to move up to 51kg.
The new men's weight categories for the Olympics will start from the 55kg (Bantamweight), 60kg (Lightweight), 65kg (Welterweight), 70kg (Light Middleweight), 80kg (Light Heavyweight), 90kg (Heavyweight) and +90kg (Super Heavyweight).
The (50kg) flyweight division has been scrapped.
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