India had one medal in the Commonwealth Games 2026 without any of its 121-strong athletes playing any finals, thanks to its Kings’ Baton carrier, Lovlina Borgohain getting a bye.
How the Draw Unfolded
On July 23, the day of the Glasgow 2026 Opening Ceremony, the official draw for the Women’s 75kg boxing division yielded an unprecedented outcome.
Only five athletes registered in the 75kg middleweight category at Glasgow.
With such a small bracket, three fighters—Lovlina Borgohain (India), Tarona Taafaki (Tuvalu), and Emma-Sue Greentree (Australia)—were handed direct byes into the semifinals. The remaining two boxers, Mary Kate Smith (England) and Patricia Mbata (Nigeria), were drawn into the lone quarterfinal bout.
Under Commonwealth Games boxing regulations, both losing semifinalists receive a bronze medal. By advancing directly to the last four, Borgohain sealed a medal before the ceremonial flame was even lit.
Completing the Multi-Sport Medal Sweep
For the Tokyo Olympic bronze medallist, this guaranteed medal solves a long-standing void in her trophy cabinet. Borgohain had previously fallen short at both Gold Coast 2018 and Birmingham 2022 in the 69kg class.
With this result, Borgohain completes a rare “grand slam” of multi-sport hardware, holding medals across all four major international platforms:
Olympics: Bronze Medal (Tokyo 2020)
World Championships: Gold Medal (New Delhi 2023)
Asian Games: Silver Medal (Hangzhou 2023)
Commonwealth Games: Guaranteed Podium Finish (Glasgow 2026)
Borgohain at the Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony
Borgohain shared ceremonial duties with weightlifter Mirabai Chanu during the Opening Ceremony at the OVO Hydro. While Chanu carried the Indian tricolour, Borgohain carried the ceremonial King’s Baton.
Semifinal Date: Borgohain will finally throw her first punches of the tournament on July 31, taking on Tuvalu’s Tarona Taafaki for a place in the gold medal bout.
Domino Effect in Boxing: India’s 7-member women’s boxing squad received a total of eight first-round byes across weight classes due to scaled-down draw sizes, putting multiple pugilists just one win away from guaranteed hardware.
Lovlina’s Glasgow 2026 Schedule
| Phase | Opponent / Detail | Date & Status |
| Quarterfinal | Bye Received | Advanced directly |
| Semifinal | vs. Tarona Taafaki (Tuvalu) | July 31 (Bronze Guaranteed) |
| Gold Medal Match | Winner of Greentree vs. Smith/Mbata | Subject to SF win |
