Kolkata: Where there is a will, there is a way! Five- time world champion boxer MC Mary Kom, like a true champion, gulped down the reality of not being able to make it to the Rio Olympics, but has bounced back from nowhere.
There was a speculation that she might end her career after accepting the Rajya Sabha nomination. But she surprised everyone by saying, as quoted by PTI, “I have got the fire back. I have been training and I feel competitive. I felt bad when I could not make it to the Olympics, it was a heart break but I am over it now and back to what I do best in the ring.
“I think AIBA is going to include light flyweight in the Asian and Commonwealth Games and it could also make it to the Olympics, so I am keeping my fingers crossed.”
On Friday, December 9, she decided to return to the 48 kg weight category in the midst of all conjectures of it being included by the International Boxing Association (AIBA) in the Tokyo Olympics in 2020.
The 33-year-old Manipuri and a mother of three won all her world titles in women’s 48kg division but had moved up to the women’s 51kg category in order to contend at the Olympics. She had taken a bronze in her new weight class at the 2012 London Olympics.
“I have decided to move back to light flyweight because that is my original weight category. I feel the most comfortable competing in it and I don’t have to punish my body to maintain this weight,” Mary Kom was quoted byte news agency. She added, “I am feeling very positive once again and just wait and watch what I do now.”
Her coach, Chote Lal Yadav, now an assistant coach in the National Women’s team stated, “The power in her punches has increased manifold because of this decision as she no longer has to work hard to increase her weight. Light flyweight is her natural weight and that has improved her strength. She has been training hard and will be a force to reckon with.”
“In fact, I can say that she is going to strike it big in this category. There are very few girls who match up to her in this division even after these many years,” he added.
Mary Kom is all set to be honoured with the AIBA Legend’s Award for her career so far during the world body’s 70th anniversary celebrations on December 20. A film has been made on her struggle to reach the top and it seems that the zeal is not yet gone.
(With inputs from PTI)