- Mary Kom
-
Mary Kom Personal information Nationality 
IndiaBorn 1 March 1983
Kangathei, CCpur Subdiv, Manipur, IndiaHeight 158.49 cm (5 ft 2.40 in) Weight 54 kilograms (120 lb) Sport Sport Boxing Rated at Flyweight Medal recordCompetitor for IndiaWomen's boxing Asian Games Bronze 2010 Guangzhou Flyweight Women's World Amateur Boxing Championships Silver 2001 Scranton 45 kg Gold 2002 Antalya 45 kg Gold 2005 Podolsk 46 kg Gold 2006 New Delhi 46 kg Gold 2008 Ningbo City 46 kg Gold 2010 Bridgetown 48 kg Mangte Chungneijang Merykom, also known as MC Mary Kom or Mary Kom, is a female boxer from Manipur, India who is supported by Olympic Gold Quest.[1] Mary Kom, a mother of two, is five times World Boxing Champion, successively. She came back from a two-year sabbatical to clinch her fourth successive World Amateur boxing gold in 2008, a feat that prompted the AIBA to describe her as 'Magnificent Mary'.[2] She was earlier an athlete and switched to boxing after the success of fellow Manipur boxer Dingko Singh.[3][4]
Recently, Mary Kom Won Fifth Consecutive World Boxing Championship Title. Mary Kom Won World Boxing Championship Title in Bridgetown, Barbados on Saturday, Sep 18, 2010 in Bridgetown. This is the fifth consecutive win for Mary Kom in World Boxing Championship Title. Mary Kom defeated Romanian opponent Duta Seluta 16-6Mary Kom had won four title of World Boxing Championship in the 46 kg category but this time Mary Kom won in the 48 kg category. In semifinal Mary Kom had defeated Filipino opponent Alice Appari 8-1.
Mary Kom is the only boxer to have won a medal in each one of the six World Championships.
On 3 October 2010, she had the honour of bearing the Queen's Baton in its Opening Ceremony run in the stadium for the 2010 Commonwealth Games of Delhi.[5][6]
Contents
Biography
Education
- Cl. I-IV - Christian Model High School, Loktak, Manipur
- V-IX - St. Xavier’s School, Moirang
- X - Adimjati High School, Imphal
- PUC (Arts)
- BA student
1985–2003: Early life and foray into boxing
Mary Kom took to sports in an effort to provide some financial support to her family. "I was initially an all-round athlete, and 400-m and javelin were my pet events. When Dingko Singh returned from Bangkok (Asian Games) with a gold, I thought I should give it a try. Dingko's success triggered a revolution of sort in Manipur and surprisingly I found that I was not the only girl who was drawn into boxing," she said.
She began boxing in 2000 and was a quick learner who preferred to be put through the same paces as the boys around her. She initially tried to keep her interest from her father, M. Tonpu Kom, and mother Saneikham Kom, but winning a 2000 state championship got her photograph in the newspaper.
After winning her first title and Best Boxer at the First State Level Invitation women's boxing championship in Manipur in 2000, Mary Kom went on to win the gold in the Seventh East India Women’s Boxing Championship held in West Bengal and five subsequent Indian National Championships from 2000 to 2005.
She also embarked on an international campaign that has brought her a series of gold medals and honors.
On her way by train to the selection camp for her first Asian Women’s Boxing Championships in Bangkok, she had all her luggage and her passport stolen. Her parents asked her to come home but she carried on her course.
On November 22, 2003 in the 46-kg finals of the Asian Women's Championships at Mahabir Stadium in Hisar, India, she defeated Chou Szu Yin of Chinese Taipei by RSCO-2. She had previously defeated L. G. Chandrika of Sri Lanka also by RSCO-2.
2003- present awards and success
MARY KOM's "international gold rush" finally began with the Second Asian Women's Championship in Hissar and continued with a win in the Third Asian Women's Championship, held in Taiwan.
In her first AIBA World Women's Boxing Championship in Scranton, USA in 2001, the 18-year-old Mary Kom had to settle for silver, losing to Hulya Sahin of Turkey by 13-5 in the 48-kg final after defeating Jamie Behl of Canada by 21-9 in the semi-final and Nadia Hockmi of Poland by RSCO-3 in the quarter-final. "She was leading in the first round but her opponent managed to score points in the final round," coach Anoop Kumar said of Mary Kom's performance in the final.
The next year, she struck gold at the Second AIBA World Women’s Senior Boxing Championship held from October 21–27, 2002 in Antalya, Turkey, winning the 45-kg division by defeating Svetlana Miroshnichenko of the Ukraine in her semi-final and Jang Song-Ae of North Korea in the final
Her once-skeptical father accompanied his trail-blazing daughter to the ceremony in 2003 at which she was the first woman ever to receive India's prestigious Arjuna award for her achievement in boxing.
She also took gold in the 46-kg division of the Women's World Boxing Tournament in Tønsberg, Norway from 27 April to 2 May 2004, defeating Derya Aktop of Turkey by RSCO-2 in the semi-final and Xia Li of China by RSCO-2 in the final.
She was also the Witch Cup Tournament champion in Hungary in 2004.
At the August 2004 Asian Women's Boxing Championships in Taiwan she defeated Gretchen Abaniel of the Philippines 35-11 in the 46-kg final.
She successfully defended her 46-kg world title at the Third AIBA Women's World Championships held from 25 September to 2 October 2005 in Podolsk, Russia. She won the final by a 28-13 score over Jong Ok of North Korea, who had reached the finals with a 22-20 decision over Gretchen Abaniel of the Philippines. Kom had defeated Elena Sabitova of Russia 31-16 in her semi-final and Nancy Fortin of Canada 30-13 in her preliminary. While she saw her repeat win as great progress, she expressed admiration for the Russians, who won the team event.
On 19–22 October 2006 at the Venus Box Cup in Vejle, Denmark, Mary Kom won by RSCO-2 over Sofie Molholr of Denmark in the 46-kg semi-final and defeated Steluta Duta of Romania by retirement in the third round. Duta had defeated Valeria Calabrese of Italy RSCI-2 to reach the final and had also won the 46-kg division of the Ahmet Comert Tournament in 2006 with a RSCO-2 over Derya Aktop of Turkey (Merykom did not compete in that tournament.)
On 23 November 2006 at the AIBA World Championships at Talkatora Indoor Stadium in New Delhi, India Mary Kom again won the 46-kg division - this time with a 22-7 decision over her Venus Box Cup final opponent Steluta Duta of Romania. Mary Kom kept the Romanian on the defensive for most of the bout, then celebrated her win with a demonstration of Manipuri folk dance in the ring. Duta reached the final with a RSCO-2 win over Boranbayeva Zalgul of Kazakhstan in the semi.
In New Delhi, Mary Kom had previously defeated Jong Ok of North Korea 20-8 in the semi-final, and Chandrike Geruga of Sri Lanka by RSCO-2 in the quarter-final after a bye in the preliminary round. She began the tournament with a cough and fever (and was unable to take any medication because of the doping test) but she still performed well enough to lead Chandrike Geruga 13-3 after one round, and the bout was stopped in the second with Mary Kom ahead 19-4.
Achievements
- Boxing Champion (Women PIN Weight 46 kg Category)
- Founder, MC Mary Kom Boxing Academy (Girls), A/112, Games Village, Imphal 2006
- National
- Gold - Ist Women Nat. Boxing Championship, Chennai 6-12.2.2001
- The East Open Boxing Champ, Bengal 11-14.12.2001
- 2nd Sr World Women Boxing Championship, New Delhi 26-30.12.2001
- National Women Sort Meet, N. Delhi 26-30.12.2001
- 32nd National Games, Hyderabad 2002
- 3rd Sr World Women Boxing Champ, Aizawl 4-8.3.2003
- 4th Sr WWBC, Kokrajar, Assam 24-28.2.2004
- 5th Sr WWBC, Kerala 26-30.12.2004
- 6th Sr WWBC, Jamshedpur 29 Nov-3.12.2005
- 10th WNBC, Jamshedpur lost QF by 1-4 on 5.10.2009
- International
- Ist Asian Women Boxing Championship (AWBC), Bangkok 2001
- 2nd AWBC, Hissar, Haryana 19-22.11.2003
- 3rd AWBC, Kaohsing City, Taiwan 5-12.8.2005
- Silver medal - 2001 Women's World Amateur Boxing Championships, Scranton, Pennsylvania, USA.
- Gold medal - 2002 Women's World Amateur Boxing Championships, Antalya, Turkey.
- Gold medal - 2005 Women's World Amateur Boxing Championships, Podolsk, Russia.
- Gold medal - 2006 World Women's Boxing Championship, New Delhi, India.
- Ist WWB Tournament, Norway 2004
- Venus Cup International Women Box Tourn, Vejla (Denmark ) 8-23.10.2006
- Gold medal - 2008 AIBA Women's World Boxing Championship, Ningbo, China.
- Gold medal - Asian Women's Boxing Championship, Astana, Kazakhstan.[7]
- Bronze medal - 2010 Asian Games, Guangzhou, China[8]
- Gold medal - 2010 AIBA Women's World Boxing Championship, Barbados.
Awards
- Arjuna Award (Boxing) 2004
- Padma Shree (Sports) 2006
- Contender for Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award 2007
- People of the Year- Limca Book of Records 2007
- CNN-IBN ‘Real Heroes’ Award 14.4. 2008 Mon
- Pepsi MTV Youth Icon 2008 23.12.2008 Tue
- ‘Magnificent Mary’, AIBA 2008
- Felicitation by Zomi Students’ Federation (ZSF) at New Lamka YPA Hall 17.12.2008 Wed
- Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna 29.8.2009 Sat, New Delhi (27.7.2009 Wed)
- Int’l Boxing Association’s Ambassador for Women’s Boxing 2009 (TSE 30.7.2009 Thur)[9][10]
- Sportswoman of the year 2010, Sahara Sports Award 2010[11]
On August 29, 2009 she was selected for the India's highest sporting honour, the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award alongside boxer Vijender Singh and wrestler Sushil Kumar.[12]
References
- ^ Olympic Gold Quest Official website
- ^ Mary makes women's boxing's Olympic case stronger: AIBA President
- ^ Mangte Chungneijang Merykom Biography
- ^ Back in the Ring
- ^ CBC, 2010 Commonwealth Games, Opening Ceremonies, airdate 3 October 2010, 9:00am-12:30pm (Eastern), circa 2h20m mark, CBC Television main network
- ^ "CWG Opening ceremony: Live Blog", Geetika Rustagi, 3 October 2010 (accessed 5 October 2010)
- ^ "Mary Kom, Sarita hit gold at Asian Championship". May 31, 2010. http://www.merinews.com/article/mary-kom-sarita-hit-gold-at-asian-championship/15819459.shtml.
- ^ "Mary Kom ends with bronze medal in Asian Games". The Times Of India. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/india-news/Mary-Kom-ends-with-bronze-medal-in-Asian-Games/articleshow/6982028.cms.
- ^ Manipur Express, 31.6.2006 Sat, Ed. L. Chinkhanlian, Lamka; The Sangai Express, 19.4.2008, Imphal
- ^ Zamzachin, Dr. G. (2009-11-03). "MARY KOM MC (Mangte Chungneijang)". Zogam.Com. http://zogam.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=6828&Itemid=224. Retrieved 2010-05-08.
- ^ "Sahara Sports Awards: Sushil Kumar, Mary Kom get top honours". October 31, 2010. http://liveindia.tv/sports/sahara-sports-awards-sushil-kumar-mary-kom-get-top-honours/.
- ^ "Mary Kom, Vijender and Sushil get Khel Ratna". Chennai, India: The Hindu. 2009-07-29. http://www.hindu.com/holnus/000200907291721.htm. Retrieved 2010-05-08.
- Williams, Dee (6 February 2008). "Mary Kom". (WBAN) Women Boxing Archive Network. http://www.wban.org/biog/marykom.htm. Retrieved 8 May 2010.
- Buncombe, Andrew (7 May 2010). "India's school of hard knocks". The Independent (London). http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/indias-school-of-hard-knocks-1965635.html. Retrieved 8 May 2010.
External links
- Mary Kom - Biography
- MC Marykom, MTV Youth Icon
Categories:- Women boxers
- Indian boxers
- Recipients of the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna
- Indian sportswomen
- 1983 births
- Indian Christians
- Recipients of the Arjuna Award
- Recipients of the Padma Shri
- Living people
- Sportspeople from Manipur
- Asian Games medalists in boxing
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
