Olympic-bound Amit, Lovlina end with bronze medals at Asian Qualifiers

World number one Amit Panghal (52kg) and Lovlina Borgohain on Tuesday signed off with bronze medals at the Asian Olympic Qualifiers, where both of them secured their maiden tickets to the quadrennial showpiece by making the semifinals. World silver-medallist and top seed Panghal went down to Jianguan Hu of China in a split 3-2 decision. It was revenge for Hu, an Olympic and world bronze-medallist who lost to Panghal in the Asian semifinals last year. Panghal had endured exhausting contests in the run-up to the semifinals and he could not outpace the determined Chinese in Tuesday's clash.

Earlier, two-time world bronze-medallist and second seed Borgohain lost to third seed and 2018 world silver-medallist Hong Gu of China in a unanimous 5-0 verdict after struggling to find her range against the experienced 30-year-old. Gu will next be up against reigning world champion and top seed Chen Nien-Chin of Taiwan who outpunched Thailand's Baison Manikon in her semifinal bout.