New Delhi, July 18 (IANS) Olympic legends Mirabai Chanu and Lovlina Borgohain will be the flag and baton bearers when the Indian contingent steps out, dressed nattily, for the opening ceremony of the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow on July 23.
Announcing the names on Saturday, Indian Olympic Association President PT Usha said, “It is a matter of pride: Mirabai and Lovlina will be doing the honours at the OVO Hydro. I wish both the girls and the entire contingent good luck.”
Indeed, for Mirabai and Lovlina, both medallists from the Tokyo Olympics, this will be a moment of pride. Mirabai, who is aiming for glory at the CWG again in Glasgow, won a silver medal in Tokyo. She is coming back strongly and will show energy and enthusiasm when the 126-member Indian team is seen in action during the Commonwealth Games. Lovlina, who won a bronze medal in the Tokyo Olympics, is a strong contender for a medal this time in Glasgow.
It is a matter of pride that two women have been chosen to do the honours for Team India at the opening ceremony, which will set the tone and tenor for the Games. Both Mirabai and Lovlina have time and again proved themselves in the international arena for India. They are at present training in earnest for the Games in the United Kingdom.
Mirabai Chanu will turn 32 on August 8. She has been at the forefront of India’s weightlifting campaign for so long that everyone can recognise her as one of the very big faces of Indian sports. She was unlucky not to have won a medal in the Paris 2024 Olympics, but she is now in good shape.
The opening ceremony in Glasgow will be unique, and Mirabai is looking forward to it. Apart from her Olympic medal, Mirabai has won multiple medals in the World Championship. At the Commonwealth Games in 2022 in Birmingham, Mirabai won gold.
Lovlina Borgohain is a seasoned star whose performances speak volumes about what she has achieved for India across various competitions. In Tokyo, she did herself and the nation proud by winning bronze. Her rise from kickboxing to regular boxing has been very purposeful. As a role model for many Indian athletes, Lovlina has won a gold medal at the 2023 World Championship. In addition, Lovlina also won a silver medal at the Asian Games in 2023 in Hangzhou, China. The girl from Assam is eager to deliver now, at the Commonwealth Games. She has not won a medal before at the CWG.
–IANS
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