NEW DELHI: Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Lovlina Borgohain faces a significant decision regarding her weight category for the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has scrapped her current 75kg weight class, forcing her to choose between moving down to 70kg or bulking up to the +80kg division.
The IOC's announcement of the event program and athlete quotas for the LA Games has caught Borgohain off guard.
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Initially, she expressed her inclination towards moving down to 70kg, as she believes it would be challenging for her to bulk up to the +80kg category.
"This is brand new information for me. It is quite shocking. I think I will have to move down to 70kg because it will be difficult for me to go up to +80kg," Lovlina Borgohain told PTI.
However, Borgohain's personal coach, Pranamika Bora, emphasised the need for a comprehensive assessment before making a final decision.
"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.
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Currently, Borgohain's natural weight is 74kg, and Bora cautioned that excessive weight loss could lead to a 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 gives her more advantage," she added.
This is not the first time Borgohain has had to adapt to weight category changes.
Ahead of the Paris Games, she moved up from her preferred 69kg division to 75kg after the former was removed from the Olympic program.
Despite the shift, she excelled, winning gold at the 2022 Asian Championships, clinching the 2023 World Championship title, and securing silver at the Hangzhou Asian Games.
If Borgohain opts for the 70kg category, it would mark a return to a weight class close to her previous 69kg division, where she won bronze at the Tokyo Games.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has scrapped her current 75kg weight class, forcing her to choose between moving down to 70kg or bulking up to the +80kg division.
The IOC's announcement of the event program and athlete quotas for the LA Games has caught Borgohain off guard.
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel.
Initially, she expressed her inclination towards moving down to 70kg, as she believes it would be challenging for her to bulk up to the +80kg category.
"This is brand new information for me. It is quite shocking. I think I will have to move down to 70kg because it will be difficult for me to go up to +80kg," Lovlina Borgohain told PTI.
However, Borgohain's personal coach, Pranamika Bora, emphasised the need for a comprehensive assessment before making a final decision.
"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.
Video
Currently, Borgohain's natural weight is 74kg, and Bora cautioned that excessive weight loss could lead to a 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 gives her more advantage," she added.
This is not the first time Borgohain has had to adapt to weight category changes.
Ahead of the Paris Games, she moved up from her preferred 69kg division to 75kg after the former was removed from the Olympic program.
Despite the shift, she excelled, winning gold at the 2022 Asian Championships, clinching the 2023 World Championship title, and securing silver at the Hangzhou Asian Games.
If Borgohain opts for the 70kg category, it would mark a return to a weight class close to her previous 69kg division, where she won bronze at the Tokyo Games.
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