Good Sports: MARY KOM: GREATEST WOMEN’S BOXER
She’s 35, a mother of three, and already a legend in India. Boxer Mary Kom could easily rest on her laurels, but instead keeps elevating her stature.
Kom defeated Ukraine’s Hanna Okhota 5-0 in the final of the 45-48kg category of the recent Women’s World Boxing Championships in New Delhi. India’s most decorated boxer was soon standing atop the podium again, winning her sixth gold medal to become the most successful female boxer at the World Championships.
The Manipur native, who won a bronze medal at the London Olympics in 2012, has set her sights on gold at the Tokyo Olympics in 2020. She believes she’s a better fighter with age and experience.
“Earlier, I was like a bull fighter,” she told PTI. “I was always charging, and I would be totally tired and could not even raise my hand after the fight. Now, I am smarter and try to find out the game of my opponent and then think out mine in the ring itself.”
Compiled and partly written by Indian humorist MELVIN DURAI, author of the novel Bala Takes the Plunge.
[Comments? Contributions? Please email us at melvin@melvindurai.com. We welcome jokes, quotes, online clips, and more.]
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