Olympic medallist pugilist M C Mary Kom on Monday said she has decided to quit boxing after the 2016 Rio Olympic Games as her body would not be able to cope with the rigours of the sport any further. The 32-year-old has been giving hints for some time that she may hang up her boxing gloves but today she made it clear that the Rio Games next year will be her last competitive event.
“I have decided that I will quit after 2016 Olympics. Rio Games will be my last competitive event and I will not continue after that,” Mary Kom said at the launch of a social media campaign here. “My third child is two years old and I think it’s enough for me. Who would have faced the rigours of competitive boxing after having three childrenIJ I want to bring happiness to the people of this country by winning gold in Rio. I want to win gold there and so I thought of continuing till 2016 Games,” said May Kom who won a bronze medal in 2012 london Olympics.
Mary Kom said after the Rio Games she will concentrate on her boxing academy set up in Imphal which is expected to be inaugurated shortly by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “I have planned out what to do after Rio Olympics. I will give my full time to my academy. I want to produce more Mary Koms, more world champions. I will also be available to support any social cause,” she said at the launch of ‘Boxout’, a digital campaign against social evils initiated by Dida Sportswear at IIT Delhi.
“Prime Minister told me to inform him before the inauguration of my academy. The academy is in the final phase of completion and I am expecting the PM to inaugurate it,” Mary Kom said. Asked what’s the future of Indian boxing, she said, “What do I sayIJ There is infighting in the federation. Some would say to do this and others will say to do that. The boxers are confused and they don’t know what to do. Unless there is unity, we will not get anything. Boxers are the only sufferers.”
“Asian Championship and World Championship are coming up and they will act as qualifiers for the Rio Olympics. So, I have to do well in the tournaments to qualify for the Olympics,” she said. Asked if she was thinking of setting up boxing academies in other states of the country, Mary Kom said, “It is very difficult to set up an academy. It is very expensive. It is even more expensive to maintain it. let me first inaugurate my academy in Manipur.
“I am not setting up the academy in Manipur to earn money. I am helping poor youngsters who cannot afford to take up boxing. If somebody can help me, I can open boxing academies. Or I can help other people to open academies,” she said who considers Muhammad Ali as her idol.