Wasn’t Easy To Choose Boxing Being A Girl: Mary Kom Ahead Of Tokyo

Six-time world champion MC Mary Kom is chasing the elusive gold medal missing from her trophy shelf. She is eagerly waiting for the much-awaited 2020 Tokyo Olympics which are scheduled to be held in July-August 2020. Kom (51kg) qualified for the Games and has recently expressed how important self-determination is for her to go ahead in the league. This will be Mary Kom's second Olympic appearance. She booked her Olympic berth by making it to the semifinals of the Asia/Oceania Qualifiers. She ended her campaign with a bronze at the qualifiers.

“This (qualification) was a long time coming. I have worked a lot for this. I feel I have earned this. It wasn’t easy to choose boxing being a girl. The other (hurdle) was continuing boxing after marriage. It was difficult to make a comeback after child birth,” she said in a video shared by 

Find out why Olympic champions and boxing legends @NicolaAdamsOBE and @Claressashields consider Indian boxing star MC Mary Kom (@MangteC) to be an inspiration to them both.@BFI_official

Get the full story here: https://t.co/JyLRV0eXcg pic.twitter.com/u74rUgnIfT

Find out why Olympic champions and boxing legends @NicolaAdamsOBE and @Claressashields consider Indian boxing star MC Mary Kom (@MangteC) to be an inspiration to them both.@BFI_official

Get the full story here: https://t.co/JyLRV0eXcg pic.twitter.com/u74rUgnIfT

— Olympic Channel (@olympicchannel) March 11, 2020

Key Takeaways:

• Indian Boxing legend Mary Kom qualified for Tokyo Olympics, said "it was difficult to make a comeback after child birth.”
• The much-awaited 2020 Tokyo Olympics are scheduled to be held in July-August 2020.
• "I have fought for this day only,” Kom said. This will be Mary Kom's second Olympic appearance.

Talking about overcoming challenges, she said, “I have taken several challenges in my life. I took up a challenge to show all the people with negativity, who have questioned me and my capabilities as to who I am. So that, they all keep quiet one day."

"I have fought for this day only. Almost, my dream has started to become a reality,” Kom claimed.

‘Magnificent’ records

A sitting member of the Rajya Sabha, Olympic bronze medallist Kom is the only woman boxer to have won a medal in each one of the first seven World Championships, and the only boxer (male or female) to win eight World Championship medals. ‘Magnificent’ Mary is also an Asian Games (2014) gold medallist, a Commonwealth Games (2018) gold medallist.

Retirement plans

Late last year Kom announced her retirement plans after the Tokyo Olympics. “After 2020, I want to retire. So my main mission is to get gold for India. I really really want to win (gold),” legendary boxer had said at an event, India Today reported.

“I always try my best to give a medal to the country and if possible a gold. I will be starting my preparation for the Olympic qualifiers and the World Championship. I want to win a gold medal this time,” she had added.

READ:What Makes Mary Kom’s Life So Inspirational, Every Single Day

“I have fought hardships outside and inside the ring for so long. Nobody can keep doing it forever. There are so many bright and upcoming youngsters and I hope and pray that we find a new Mary Kom soon.”

Experienced to control the pace of bouts

“It is huge for me. I feel as if I have proved myself. It really means a lot and a huge weight is off my shoulders. I hope it changes the mindset of people who are against me, people who try to manipulate and bring politics into sport,” the 37-year-old said to PTI after the qualifiers match.

“…Talking outside the ring can only fetch headlines. Those headlines will be forgotten and after that, it’s just the performance. If you talk big and the results don’t add up, it will hurt you in the long run. So let your punches do the talking and create a legacy that won’t be forgotten,” she added.

“Experience allows me to control the pace of bouts. I face a lot of aggressive and fast girls now but what they don’t have is experience and I ensure that it becomes my biggest weapon. You can be the fittest and the fastest boxer around but I will always have the experience to dictate how the bout goes. This is what is going to be my biggest advantage at the Olympics,”said Kom.

In the 2012 Olympics, she became India’s first woman boxer to clinch an Olympic medal. Now, she is looking forward to her 2020 Olympic dream, and her punches are becoming stronger than ever.

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