‘Had to balance Parliament and ring’
GOLDEN PUNCH Mary Kom reveals how she managed to win gold without neglecting her duty as Rajya Sabha MP
NEWDELHI: It is barely a few hours since MC Mary Kom landed a special victory in the Asian Boxing Championships in Ho Chi Minh City, but she is already in the airport waiting for her flight to Delhi. Didn’t she stay back to celebrate the fifth Asian title, marking a grand comeback just when people felt at 34, Mary Kom was ready to move on? A unanimous decision against North Korea’s Kim Hyang-mi showed the competitive fire is still burning.
Mary Kom said she had to fly out to Switzerland to participate in the International Olympic Committee meeting from Nov. 11-13. She is the international boxing body’s representative for the IOC athletes forum. “The pollution is high in Delhi, right?” she enquired, even more concerned as her children are in Delhi. “I spoke to them. They are very happy and can’t wait for me to get back,” she said over phone.
Her latest triumph has not been just about fighting age and younger opponents. It has been about balancing life as mother of three children, Rajya Sabha member and training.
“Every medal is special, even this medal is special,” Mary Kom said. “Being an MP, it was tough. When the session was going on, I would go for practice, rush home and take a quick shower and run to the parliament. It was tough.”
Did she manage a quick nap while the sessions were on? “No, not me. I used to be in the parliament for an hour or two and then rush during lunch break and go for training in the evening.”
The 34-year-old boxer was happy with her fitness, but said the victory was mainly due to her experience. “It has become a difficult tournament. Now Asian boxing is also getting tougher.
“In the last seven years all opponents were of equal height or shorter in 48 kg,” Mary Kom explained. “But my opponents are taller now,” she said. Even her North Korean rival in the final, Kim Hyang-mi was much taller, and of course, younger.
“But I have the experience of 17 years,” she said. “So, I was able to handle them easily.”
There had been rumbling within the national camp, especially from the top 51kg contender, Pinki Jhangra. And when Mary failed to qualify for the 2016 Rio Games, after losing early in a qualifying event, few expected her to fight back into the ring.
Mary Kom told Hindustan Times recently that she wanted to box for two more years. And the 2018 Commonwealth Games and Asian Games are the incentives ahead.
My actual weight is 48kg. Earlier, I was fighting in a higher category (51). It is very tough, to train and then to refill, increase weight, (it’s) very difficult for me.