Happy Birthday MC Mary Kom: Check out five lesser known fact about boxing champion
Mary Kom celebrated her 40th birthday today, Mangte Chungneijang Mary Kom OLY is an Indian boxer turn politician and former member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha. Mary has the only woman to win the World Amateur Boxing Championship six times, and the only female boxer.
Mary Kom is one of the finest athletes on the planet. She had a feature film made about her life let’s take a look at her journey.
Mary Kom: EDUCATION
Mary was unable to complete her high school education since she never enjoyed studying. When she was in class 7 at St Xavier’s School, she chose to resign to dedicate more time to boxing. Later on, she would take her final examinations in secret and would finish her degree from Churachandpur College in private.
Mary Kom has combined fighting with being a Mother of three young children.
Mary had never taken boxing seriously, despite her liking for it. She didn’t consider it as a professional option until much later. It is reported that Mary only decided to try boxing after her idol Dingko Singh won the gold medal in the Asian Games. Her hero’s achievements motivated her, and Mary Kom’s Asian Games gold became a life-changing inspiration. But she is a trailblazer in more ways than one. Kom has combined fighting with being a Mother of three young children.
Mary Kom did not tell her parents before she started her training to become a boxer. Her father even tried to discourage her when he found out. Everyone in her town tried to discourage her efforts by ridiculing her.
She was determined and even after facing strong opposition from her family, she proved everyone wrong for the first time in 2000 when she was given the Best Boxer Award at the First State Level Invitation at the women’s boxing championships in Manipur.
MC Mary Kom runs a Sports Club in her native
In her native state, Mary launched the MC Mary Kom Boxing Academy to promote and assist hundreds of young bright fighters in attaining their boxing aspirations. Since 2007, she has provided free instruction to a large number of poor girls treasurer that poverty does not stand in the way of an aspiring boxer’s goals.
Care for the animals
Mary is an outspoken advocate for animal welfare. She is a staunch opponent of animal cruelty for entertainment and has shown her support for animal welfare. Mary Kom is a living example of what steadfast passion and effort can achieve. She first created waves in 2000, winning both the Manipur State Boxing Championship and the West Bengal Regional Championship.
In 2001, at just 18 years old, Mary Kom won silver
In 2001, at just 18 years old, Mary Kom won silver in the 48kg category at the AIBA women’s World Boxing Championship in Scranton, USA. Although she was easily outboxed in the final by Hulya Sahin, a much more experienced opponent, Mary Kom had announced her arrival on the international stage.
Mary Kom continued to dominate women’s boxing till 2006 after which she took a 2-year sabbatical due to the birth of her twins, however, she returned with a bang in 2008 and won her 4th successive World Championship.
She is the only boxer to win a medal in every one of the six world championships.
Considering all her achievements and overcoming all the hurdles, Marry Kom was given the honor of bearing the Queen’s Baton in its opening ceremony run in the stadium for the 2010 Commonwealth Games of Delhi.
