Punching through Stereotypes: Bhutan’s First Female Boxer

Floating like a butterfly, stinging like a bee and breaking gender norms is just a regular lifestyle for Tandin Lhamo, the hometown favourite, 23-year-old, female Bhutanese boxer from Dagana. Leading an active life is second nature to Lhamo who enjoys cycling and is an avid runner, with awards and accolades in both fields.

“Sports is an essential aspect to my life; it has the power to strengthen you physically and mentally” Lhamo said passionately.

The boxing ring was traditionally uncharted territory for women in Bhutan, intimidating most but not Lhamo who found herself gravitating towards the art of boxing. Joining the Bhutan Boxing Federation in 2015, she would soon become one of the first Bhutanese female professional boxers to proudly represent the Kingdom of Bhutan overseas, taking part in major international tournaments, such as the 2018 Asian Games in Indonesia. Lhamo not only participated in these events but won gold in the 2019 Bhutan Open International Boxing Championship and brought home bronze in both the 2019 1st Indramaya Memorial Boxing Tournament and the 2019 South Asian Games held in Nepal.

“Through my achievements, I wish to break gender stereotypes regarding the sport and introduce women to the beauty of boxing and to encourage them to be courageous and step into the ring” shared Lhamo.

Being a woman in a male-dominated sport came with its own daunting challenges, all of which Lhamo readily rose to. With no other women boxers for guidance, she has had to adapt, training under male boxers and adjusting to their expectations. While demanding at first, Lhamo reflects back saying,

“I see how much power and knowledge I gained by never giving up and continuing to pursue my love of boxing. As time went by, I saw myself becoming stronger and tougher”.

Now as coach in ‘The Boxing Studio’ in Thimphu, Lhamo has become a role model to other aspiring boxers,

“It is amazing how I am able to give back to the boxing community that I learned so much from and can pass on my knowledge to others” said Lhamo.

When the unexpected global pandemic hit, it impacted Lhamo’s boxing lifestyle by disrupting training and travel for tournaments. She kept herself motivated during such trying times by never losing her inner fire by actively pursuing her fitness goals through activities such as hiking or revisiting parallel passions such as cycling and running.  As a means of coping with the ongoing pandemic, Lhamo temporarily paused her dream of winning more boxing medals for her country and shifted her focus to a new goal of participating in the upcoming selection for the Snowman Race beginning on the 22nd of April, 2021.

“I will be taking part in the Snowman Race selection run which follows the Druk Path Trek covering 41 KM from Sangaygang, Thimphu to Ta Dzong, Paro, for which I am very excited about and I’m optimistic of securing a position” Lhamo says eagerly.

Aside from new athletic goals, Lhamo prioritizes balancing her sports career with her studies and currently works towards a degree in Business Foundations at the Royal Thimphu College. Lhamo acknowledges that managing her time between her athletic passions and her education is challenging but she feels fortunate to have the support of her parents, the Bhutan Olympic Committee and the Bhutan Boxing Federation, all of whom help her actively pursue her dreams.

Through her story, Lhamo inspires each person she interacts with to never stop their fitness pursuits. She wishes to create a positive platform that promotes self-growth and wholeheartedly believes that,

 “…you should never underestimate yourself as everyone has their own hidden capabilities which are yet to be unlocked.”

She puts a new meaning to “hit like a girl” encouraging women to join her in the ring and to break societal preconceptions by reminding others that,

 “…the strength of women comes from the additional effort, discipline and determination to prove that they should be regarded equal to their male peers and for that they deserve the greatest respect”.

In spite of bumps and bruises along the way, Lhamo is striving towards her goals bolstered by the belief that,

“Fitness is not about being better than someone else, it is about being better than who you used to be”.