India’s Kom driven by quest for gold at CWG

She is a five-time world champion, mother of three and member of parliament, but Indian boxer Mary Kom says that at 35 there is plenty more glory in the ring to come.

Dubbed “Magnificent Mary” for a glittering career that has already inspired a Bollywood biopic, veteran Kom last month defied critics who wrote her off by winning a record fifth Asian women’s championships title in Vietnam.

Driven on by the legacy of threetime world heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali, she has now set sights on the Commonwealth Games in April, and even the 2020 Tokyo Olympics when she hopes to improve on her bronze medal in London.

“I am really inspired by Muhammad Ali, who was a hero across the world. He is my mentor and my only inspiration [is] his achievements,” she said.

“And he was such a great boxer – that is why I am still able to do this.”

The Asian title in November was her first gold at international level since winning the Asian Games in 2014.

But Kom has rejected the doubts of those who have highlighted her age and questioned her ability to combine boxing with being a mother and a member of parliament in India’s upper house. “I am still fit. Some people talk about the X-factor and say ‘she cannot perform’.

“So I say there is no X-factor ... I have more experience and I am getting better and better,” Kom added.

In her bid for gold, she has dropped back down to the 48-kilogram category she fought in when she first grabbed headlines at the 2001 world championships. “The Games will soon be here,” she said referring to the Commonwealth event in Australia’s Gold Coast. “I am trying my best to improve day by day.”

Kom said the Indian government and much-criticised Boxing Federation of India (BFI) were providing “good facilities” so she has no excuses for not being ready.

It is a far cry from recent years. Infighting in the Indian federation led to Kom failing to make the 2016 Rio Olympics. No Indian boxers took part in qualifying.

“It was very unfortunate because the reason was there was no federation, they were fighting each other to hold power, be president,” Kom said.

But businessman Ajay Singh’s election as BFI president last year has ended the turmoil.

Like her hero Ali, Kom had her own struggles growing up, rising from an impoverished family in the remote northeastern state of Manipur.

Blessed with three sons, Kom is now happy juggling roles as a mother, lawmaker and gym owner. But she insists boxing is her top priority.

“That is obviously very difficult. People might also say how can she maintain all these things? How can she keep performing? It is a question of will and mindset,” she said.

“Whether I am going to a parliament session or programme or my own personal programme, that is secondary. The first priority is training, the rest comes second and that is why I am still performing.”