Mary Kom - India's True Champion

Hello,

Mangte Chungneijang Merykom (aka Mary Kom or MC Merykom)!!! -Have you heard of her.

She is from Kangathei Village, Moirang Lamkhai in rural Manipur, India.

She comes from a poor family, works as Deputy Superintendent in the Manipur Police Department.

This woman is India's pride. A tigress whose roar has been heard all over the world even though the Indian public is oblivious of her prowess.

So what does "Magnificient Mary" do to earn the accolades of the world press.

Well here is the list of her achievements.

Well we begin with the latest - Khel Ratna 2008.

National Championships (2000 onwards)

• 7th East open Boxing Championship: Gold medal
• 1st Women National Boxing Championship : Gold Medal
• 2nd Senior National Boxing Championship Gold Medal
• National Women Sports Meet: Gold Medal
• 3rd Senior Women Boxing Championship: Gold Medal
• 4th Senior Women Boxing Championship: Gold Medal
• 5th National Women Boxing Championship: Gold Medal
• 6th National Women Boxing Championship: Gold Medal
• 32nd National Games: Gold Medal
• 9th Senior Women National Boxing Championships: Gold Medal

She did not participate for a few years as she was busy raising a family.

International Championships

• First Asian Women Boxing Championship held at Bangkok. Thailand in 2001: She lost in the first round.
• First World Women Boxing Championship held at Pennsylvania,USA in 2001: Silver Medal
• Second World Women Boxing Championship held at Antalya, Turkey in 2002: Gold Medal
• Witch Cup Women Boxing Championship held at Hungary in 2002:Gold Medal
• Second Asian Women Boxing Championship held at Hissar Haryana,India From in 2003 : Gold Medal
• 1st World Women Boxing Tournament held at Norway in 2004:Gold Medal
• Training Cum Competition held at Italy, Rome in 2003: Three Gold Medals
• Arjuna Awardee in the Field of Boxing for the Year 2003
• Padama Shree Awardee in the field of Sports for the Year 2005
• Third Asian Women Boxing Championship held at Kachsiung City, Taiwan in 2005: Gold Medal
• Third World Women Boxing Championship held at Podolsk,Moscow, Russia in 2005:Gold Medal
• 4th World Women Boxing Championship held at New Delhi , India in 2006:Gold Medal
• The Asia Cadet Boxing Championships and Women Open Boxing Tournament held at Hanoi, Vietnam: Gold Medal and Best Women Boxer
• Venus Cup Internationl Women Boxing Championship held at Veijle , Denmark in 2006:Gold Medal
• Fourth Asian Women Boxing Championship being held in Guwahati, India: Silver Medal
• 5th World Women Boxing Championship held at Ningbo City, China in 2008:Gold Medal

Compare this with the performance of our sportmen in Cricket or any other sport and you will get few parallels.

It is actually a shame that she continues to struggle to find sponsors and is not rewarded enough for what she has done for the country.

She began boxing in 2000 and was a quick learner who preferred to be put through the same paces as the boys around her. "In just two weeks, I had learnt all the basics. I guess I had God-given talent for boxing."
"I still remember I was castigated by my father who said with a battered and bruised face, I should not expect to get married. He was furious that I took to boxing - a taboo for women - and he did not have the slightest idea about it. But my passion for the sport had got the better of me and I thank my cousins who coaxed and cajoled my father into eventually giving his nod. I'm happy that I did not let anybody down,"

On her way by train to the selection camp for her first Asian Women’s Boxing Championships in Bangkok, Thailand, she had all her luggage and her passport stolen. Her parents asked her to come home but she carried on her course. But she returned empty handed (from the meet in Bangkok). The stress following the loss of documents and luggage interfered with my training." Her solution was still more training. "We girls really worked hard. Women’s boxing was a very recent introduction, and we really wanted to excel."
Merykom's "international gold rush" finally began with the Second Asian Women's Championship in Hissar and has continued forever.

On her ring strategy, Merykom says "I simply try to cramp my opponents so that they don't get any chance to free their arms. 'My height (around five feet) is a problem but my fitness is my advantage. I make my opponents run a lot in the ring, which tires them.'

In 2005 she told a felicitation program organized by Indian Amateur Boxing Federation and YMCA: "I do not only rely on my technique or strength but also on my mind," adding that in her 46-kg weight category "I mostly meet different boxers in my weight category as the older ones change to higher weight category. But I have established myself here."
"To be a successful boxer one must also have a strong heart. Some women are physically strong but fail when it comes to having a strong heart. One also must have the zeal and the right fighting spirit,"says Merykom. "We work harder than men and are determined to fight with all our strength to make our nation proud. God has given me the talent and it’s only because of sheer grit and hard work that I have made it so far."
Merykom works out five to six hours a day to stay fit.

Her success as a world champion is a testament to her determination, perseverance and drive to succeed.

She has used her earnings from boxing to obtain a new house and land for her parents and savings deposits for her younger siblings but she bemoans the lack of sponsorship for Indian female boxers, saying "I guess that’s because I don’t play tennis or cricket. Seriously, are there no other sports in India?" She has said that she would eventually like to share her boxing experiences while grooming new sports talent in Manipur.

"Magnificient Mary" may win the first woman gold in Olympics for India.

Best of luck to her and India,

Manoj