Girls should not give up sports after marriage: Mary Kom

In a candid chat with The Indian Express,the Rajiv

Gandhi Khel Ratna awardee said,“ I feel quite hurt to see girls leaving sports after marriage.

If one has the determination,then one can excel even after marriage. Of course,the support of your husband and other members is very important.”

Giving her own example,Mary Kom said,“I got married in the year 2005 and I am a mother of twin boys— Kom Raengpe and Naidong Kom. They are three-year-old now. But my married life has never prevented me from going to the boxing arena. My husband K Onler,who has been a national level footballer,is very supportive.

Right now,I have no worries regarding my kids because I know that he will be taking good care of them. After the birth of my children,even my father advised me that I should give up boxing but I have been able to continue with the sport due to the support from my husband. It has not been just participation but I won golds in the World Championships even after marriage.”

Praising her parents,the Padma Shri awardee said,“I hail from Moirang village (near Imphal) in Manipur. My father is a farmer and my mother a housewife. Despite my father being a poor farmer,my parents who had a family of three daughters and a son to look after,were always very encouraging. They always encouraged me when I won medals at the school level.”

Taking inspiration from boxing legend Muhammad Ali and being impressed by India’s Dingko Singh,Mary Kom took to boxing in the year when she was hardly 17.

Initially,she practiced athletics. Within two months of taking the boxing gloves,she claimed a gold in the state boxing championships and excelled in the very first nationals she participated in.

She bagged her first medal in the World Championships— a silver in the year 2001. There has been no looking back since then. She has won five golds at the World Championships,the latest coming this year in the 48 kg division in the world championships organised at Barbados. She has also won many medals in different international events.

Focus on Asian Games Mary Kom said that presently she has been practising hard for the upcoming Asian Games. “ Though I like to shop and see historical places in different cities but I am not in a position to do so as I want to only concentrate on the Asian Games. I will be competing in a higher weight category (51 kg weight category) than my present one,so I need to work hard to ensure a medal for my country. A gold at the Asian Games will be like a morale booster before the 2012 Olympics.” She said that she was quite happy that women’s boxing has been included in the Asian Games and at the Olympics.

“I was really surprised when I came to know that women’s boxing would not be a part of the Commonwealth Games 2010. However,I get solace from the fact that being the brand ambassador of the CWG,I participated in the games in some way.” Chief coach of the Indian women’s boxing team Anoop Kumar said that Mary Kom has been showing good consistency in performance and has the ability to bring home many more medals.