Chungneijang Mary Kom Hmangte, better known as Mary Kom and Magnificent Mary

Mary Kom, the Boxer from Manipur in India has become the first woman to wi six World Championship gold medals. When the Indian Boxer Chungneijang Mary Kom Hmangte, alias Mary Kom, the 35 year old Boxing sensation entered the boxing ring at the packed K.D. Jadhav Hall in her home turf of India, in a bout with Hanna Okhola from Ukrain, little did the world realise that the mother of three will win the gold by a margin of 5-0 decision in the light flyweight 48 kilograms category, torpedoing her joint haul of five golds with Katie Taylor of Ireland at the Women’s World Boxing Championships. Already a pre-tournamet favourite for gold, Mary Kom was in fact rewriting the record books by beating her joint haul of five golds with Katie Taylor of Ireland.

Immediately after the win, Mary Kom told the media that she is dedicating her win to her country India. Earlier, Mary Kom had won the Women’s World Championship gold on five occasions: 2002, 2005, 2006, 2008 and 2010, in addition to winning a sliver on her initial foray back in 2001.

Olympic Gold

When asked about her win and the future plan, Mary Kom said she is aiming at making it big on the Olympic podium. “I am still dreaming abut wining the gold in the 2020 Olympics Boxing Championships”, said a beaming Mary Kom. After thanking all her well-wishers who had witnessed the historic bout, constantly cheering and encouraging her till the finish. “Today, I am a little emotional, since I have been feeling there is no category in the Olympic Games. Thanks to your love and constant support, I am able to qualify for 2020 Tokyo Olympics. In fact, four years back, I was not able to qualify for lack of weight.”

Stating that she had become a smarter fighter in the later part of her career, Mary Kom said, “f you see my bouts in the initial seven years of my career and now, you will see a lot of difference. Earlier, I was like a bull fighter. I was always charging and I would be totally tired and could not even raise my hand after the fight. Furthermore, I am smarter now and eventually I am trying to find out the game of my opponent and then think about mine in the ring itself. With the result, I am not feeling tired now as I was feeling it tiring when I was younger”, obviously referring to the other three medal winners Lolvlina Borgohain, Sonia Chahal and Simranjit Kaur, who were sitting at the press conference venue.