She is synonymous to women’s boxing in India and has kept the Indian flag flying high at global arena for almost a decade now. She has won the World Championships for a record five times on the trot and now MC Mary Kom has taken a huge step closer to her next endeavour -- to win an Olympic medal.

Call it fate, destiny or plain lucky, she made it to the London Olympics in the 51-kg weight category despite failing to win a medal in the recently concluded World Championships, which was also serving as the only Olympic qualifier event for London Games.

This is the first time that woman boxing has been introduced in the Olympics and her qualification chances received a huge setback after she lost in the quarterfinals of the World Championships in Qinhuangdao, China. But things were not over for her as her fate hanged by a thread and her shot at the Olympics depended on England’s Nicola Adams’ performance in the semis.
It was perhaps her destiny and luckily for India, Adams won her bout that gave Mary an Olympic quota, her first one and considering her age might as well be her last one as well.

She has been a prime example of how adversity brings best out of a mortal soul and despite so much so much hardships, she is set forward to make the country proud once against at the biggest stage of them all “The Olympics”.

MARY KOM’S QUALIFICATION TALE

Going by what she has achieved in her life, the way she qualified for the Olympics is not the ideal way she would have wanted to. But Kom feels that if not great that was good because she has eventually made it to the mega event. “In a game of boxing one cannot continue winning and there are days when a boxer would have bad day at work. And now since I have qualified I would give it my best shot,” said Mary Kom.

Kom, who was vying for her sixth World Championships, had won four times in the 46 kgs and once in 48 kgs. This was the first time she fought in the 51 kgs and spot would have been guaranteed to her without any stipulation had she made it to the semis. But then she lost out in the quarters and it all depended on Adams who beat her at the quarters and much for the whole nations liking, Adams did a world of good to Kom after she won in the semis to help Kom clinch the second qualification spot from Asia in her weight category.

WHAT WENT WRONG FOR HER IN THE CHAMPIONSHIPS?

Kom, who went to the World championship in Qinhuangdao, China, not only to seal an Olympic spot, but also to win her sixth world title got a little baffled at facing boxers from Europe. “I have been facing boxers from Asia and never had much experience against the European boxers. So that worked a little against me. And also the changing of weight category was a big challenge for me. If I had fought in the in 48 kgs, I could have just walked through the tournament and won the championships,” added Kom.

STRATEGY FOR OLYMPICS

Now since everything is done and settled, she has her eyes on the medal at the Olympics. Kom would take some 10 days off before she starts off with her regime again. She knows her weak links and is determined to work on that and prepare herself properly for the Olympics.

When asked about what changes she needs to bring in her game, she laughed out saying, “I need to improve all the aspects of my game. I am physically fit to be in the competition and now require to set my mental frame in right shape. I never had any experience of facing European boxers and since I would face quite a few of them in the Olympics, I would go through the videos to analyse them.”

Talking about her practice, she said that a foreign trip does not look on cards for her and she would be training with her male counterparts in the Patiala. “I would be training with the boys in Patiala before the Olympics, which would help in improving further before the Olympics,” said the Olympic Gold Quest supported boxer from Manipur.

EXPECTATIONS FROM LONDON

Mary Kom knows it for a fact that everyone expected her to come with a medal from the World Championships but then she came empty handed. However she is confident of winning a medal at the Olympics and said that she would put her best foot forward in London.

“I could not come back with a medal from China, but I assure you all of a medal at the Olympics,” said the confident Mary.

She feels that the competition at the Olympics would not be that tough as how it was at the World Championship as there would be only selected boxers participating in the mega event as compared to China. “Olympics will not be that tough only as selected boxers will fight there. In the Worlds, there were close to 55 boxers. The championships were very tough because everyone was there for the qualifiers. Even the Chinese 60 and 75 kgs boxer were not able to qualify (for Olympics),” said the five time World champion.

WHAT MAKES OLYMPICS SO IMPORTANT FOR HER?

Kom, who has won the World championships for five times, is not known much amongst the masses and she wants an Olympic medal to change it forever. “Olympic is important to me just like any other athlete. But then for me it is also a medium to get popular. I have won five world titles but still people do not know me. I want to win a medal so that I could get famous. It will help me a lot in regards to getting sponsors and it is very difficult for me find sponsors without the fame which should have automatically come after winning so much,” said Kom, while getting emotional.

HER HUSBAND HER PILLAR OF SUPPORT

Everyone needs a strong support system to achieve something great and for Mary Kom it is her husband Onler Kom. “Whatever I have achieved till today is because of the support my husband gave me over the years. He keeps me away from all the domestic problems. Two years back I missed the Asian Championships due to my son’s illness and now my husband does not even tell me if my kids go through any sort of problems. He just wants me to concentrate on my boxing and has been a great source of motivation to him. A big thanks to him for whatever he has done for me till,” said Mary.

However Onler begs to differ on this and said that it is all sue to Kom’s hard work and dedication that has helped her come so far in the sporting world. “I show interest in her activities only when she is interested. I see a lot of dedication in her and hunger to excel never dies. Whatever she is today is due to her devotion for the game and her hard work,” a proud Onler said.

By Samikshan Dutta Choudhury
Indian Sports News