Gold difficult but we will do fine in CWG, Asiad not so sure: Mary Kom
Ask her about the current state of Indian boxing and MC Mary Kom is not quite sure how to respond but the six-time world champion is hopeful that the pugilists will deliver a reasonably good medal haul at the Commonwealth Games, even though a gold might just elude them.
The six-time world champion and Olympic bronze-medallist (2012) is also a gold-winner at both the Commonwealth Games (2018) and the Asian Games (2010). In an exclusive interview to PTI, she opened up about her views on the current crop of boxers and how they are being shaped.
“We will win medals but I don’t expect gold. If it comes, I will be happy. Asian Games is very tough though. In Commonwealth Games, we should be in at least the gold medal bouts. I pray we win everything,” the 43-year-old Manipuri trailblazer said.
“Boxing gave me everything in life and after getting so much from the sport, how is it possible that I don’t pray for those who would be competing? We are one family,” she added but refused to take names that she feels have the best chance of being in the finals.
Indian boxers had won seven medals at the previous CWG, including three gold and one silver. The contingent for the Glasgow Games, beginning July 23, comprises seven men and as many women.
Expectations are higher from the women’s team which features Olympic bronze-medallist Lovlina Borgohain (75kg), world number one Jaismine Lamboria (57kg), Asian Games bronze-medallist Preeti Pawar (54kg) and World Cup gold-medallist Arundhati Chaudhary (70kg). All four of them also fetched podium finishes at the Asian Championships in April this year.
Among the men, Sachin Siwach (60kg) is being rated highly after a silver-winning show at the Asian Championships along with Narender Berwal (+90kg), who clinched a bronze at the same event. Berwal had also won a bronze at the previous Asian Games. “I just want to give my best wishes to them. It’s not easy to represent India. They are all getting responsibility, not just to participate, you know, they will also think to come back with the medal for the country,” Mary Kom, who is no longer eligible to compete in the amateur circuit after crossing the age limit of 40, said.
Don’t understand BFI’s functioning: When the topic of conversation shifts to the administrative side of the sport that has relatively faded in public memory after the highs of 2008 and 2012 Olympic campaigns, Mary Kom relies on brevity to express how she feels.
“Ajeeb hai (It is strange),” she says.
The Boxing Federation of India (BFI) led by Ajay Singh has come under intense scrutiny in the past few months for selection-related controversies, appointment of coaches and issues such as boxers facing accommodation crisis at the National Championships this year.
The BFI was even handed a show-cause notice by the Sports Ministry for its “ambiguous and non-transparent” selection policy for major multi-sport events like the Asian Games and Commonwealth Games.
Mary Kom said the selection-related controversies are most unfortunate.
“I don’t know why some of the champion boxers did not get selected, this is not good for the future,” she said.
“Performance is up and down but the selection not going right is unfortunate.”
She did not hide her disappointment with the BFI’s “lack of connect” especially after the injury that forced her out of contention for the 2022 CWG.
“They used to call me...I would even give suggestions. That time it was a very good connection. Mera injury ke baad toh koi pucha nahi hai (Nobody got in touch after my injury), can you imagine that? Mera recovery and healing, nobody asked,” she recalled.
“Honestly, aaj kal to sab zamana change ho gaya hai (Times have changed)... They are not taking any suggestions, there is no way to reach them. We can’t offer any advice. BFI is doing what they are doing but they are not bothering to reach out to past performers. It is very uncomfortable,” she said.
“We have a lot of experience. Bohot suggestions dey sakte hain (We can suggest a lot). I can share my experience at least but don’t know what to say here. Jo bhi chal raha hai...politics, kya bolun (Whatever is happening, there is politics but what can I say),” she shrugged.
‘None who matches up to me’: Mary Kom has no hesitation in calling herself extraordinary and she does not believe that there is anyone on the horizon who can outdo her in the ring.
The diminutive flyweight boxer was written off after each of her two maternity breaks but she endured to come back with a world title every time, prompting the world boxing body to give her the moniker ‘Magnificent Mary’.
Not just that, challenges from younger and more vocal rivals at home grabbed headlines and cast a shadow on her achievements but Mary Kom answered all the doubts in the ring.
“The secret to my longevity was my focus and refusal to be lazy. Very limited and unique set of people can have such long careers in sport, those who would be willing to die for their sport.
“...taking my legacy forward is very difficult. I don’t think anybody can. There is nobody like me. Why? Because today’s kids develop ego after achieving one thing. Thoda fame ke baad mehnat karna nahi chahte hai (They don’t want to work hard after getting fame),” she said.
