Six-time world champion M C Mary Kom (51kg) powered into the Olympics’ pre-quarterfinals with a superb tactical victory over Dominican Republic’s Miguelina Hernandez Garcia but Manish Kaushik’s (63kg) Games debut ended in disappointment following a hard-fought opening-round loss on Sunday.
The 38-year-old Mary Kom, who is a 2012 Olympic Bronze-medallist and a multiple-time Asian champion, prevailed 4-1 against a rival who is 15 years her junior and a Pan American Games Bronze-medallist.
But Manish, a Commonwealth Games Silver-medallist and a world championship Bronze-winner, went down 1-4 to Britain’s Luke McCormack in an edge-of-the-seat clash.
Mary Kom was the first to step into the ring and in a bout that was also exciting from start to finish, the Manipuri displayed some brilliant tactics to overcome the fight that Garcia put up.
She will next be up against third-seeded Colombian Ingrit Valencia, who was a Bronze-medallist at the 2016 Rio Games.
Mary has beaten the Colombian both times the two have faced, including the 2019 world championship quarterfinals.
“I have all the medals in my hand. Olympic medal (Bronze) from 2012, Commonwealth Games Gold, six-time Gold at world championships. It’s not easy to count them, but the difficult part is continuously winning and performing, it’s not easy,” she said.
“...What is left is the Olympic Gold medal. That is what is driving me and pushing me to carry on. I am trying my best, if I am able to get it then I will be so grateful, but if not then I will still be so happy for all the medals I have won in the past,” she added.
On Monday, another Games debutant Ashish Kumar (75kg) will open his campaign against China’s Erbieke Touheta.