Olympian: Mangte Chungneijang Mary Kom – Boxing

Manipur at 2012 London Olympics>Mangte Chungneijang Mary Kom-  (MC Mary Kom) – boxing

Profile by:  Wahengbam Rorrkychand

Name: Mangte Chungneijang Mary Kom (MC Mary Kom)

Nick names: “Magnificent Mary”, “Queen Mary”

Born: March 1, 1983 (age 29)

Place of birt(: Kangathei, Churachandpur, Manipur

Weight: N/A, category: 51 kg

Father’s Name: Mangte Tonpa Kom

Mother’s Name: Mangte Akham Kom

Spouse: K Onler Kom

Children: Twin sons, Rechungvar and Khupneivar Present

<strong%3Coach: N/A

2012 Olympics sport: Olympic women’s boxing 2012

Olympics event date: Excel, London, August 5th-9th, 2012

Mangte Chungneijang Mary Kom ( Mary Kom)  is the only Indian woman boxer from Manipur  who has qualified for the 2012 Summer Olympics, the quota she achieved in the 2012 AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships after reaching the quarter-final, where she lost to world number two Nicola Adams of England.

“I will be the only Indian woman boxer at Olympics. I will be part of history and that really means a lot to me”

Her family background speaks a lot of how Mary overcame hardship and inconveniences and created a name for herself in the arena of world boxing. Her parents Mr. Mangte Tonpa Kom and Mrs Mangte Akham Kom earned their livelihood by working and being engaged in others jhum fields.

Being the eldest, Mary helped her parents work in the fields, cutting woods, making charcoal and fishing. On the other hand, she spent a good time looking after her two younger sisters and a brother.

There is a video online, a tribute to Mary by a Manipuri rock band.

In the montage of visuals is a shot of her weeping while addressing a gathering of young students.

Why, I ask her, what made her emotional?

“I was giving a speech about my story, how I’m doing my boxing. So first when I start boxing, it’s very very hard, I’m doing a lot of struggle. My family cannot give me full financial support. As a player we are supposed to have good shoes, good dress, no? Whatever my family is getting for me, I used to wear and play. I’m fighting five years without any good diet. No supplement, no egg. No breakfast. Just lunch and dinner, vegetable only and rice. Sometimes when the relative I am staying with in Imphal, when he gets salary, then we get meat. Once a month, yes, exactly. So I get emotional.”

She laughs at the thought of her tears, as she always laughs.

 Manipuri women boxer, M. C Mary Kom, who is currently at world no 4 (as of June 2012) in the International Boxing Associations’ rating is one of the most hopeful Indian players in the 2012 London Olympic.
As per her official website claimed,

“Her most awaited Gold-medal will be at the London 2012 Olympics”.

Moreover, Mary, who claimed as the “Mission (almost) Accomplished” boxer is confident of a medal in the upcoming London Olympic, told DNA “In Olympics if you win one bout, you are in quarterfinals. And keeping in mind my training so far, one thing I am sure of is that I’m going to bring one medal home… Gold, silver or bronze, I can’t really predict,” and she would bound to England early, “I will leave for the Olympics on July 21 and will train in Liverpool under Charles Atkinson. He will decide my training partner,” she informed.
Very recently, she has been rated as “the 38th most marketable athletes” in the world by the British magazine, SportsPro.

Family Background:   

Mary who is a five times successive winner of World Boxing Champion winner, born at a remote place of Manipur, Kangathelknear Moirang, Bishnupur district. She married to K Onler Kom on 12th March 2005 and has twin sons, Rechungvar and Khupneivar.
Being the eldest (two younger sisters and a brother), while she was with her parents, Mary helped her parents work in the fields, cutting woods, making charcoal and fishing.

Early Career:

Since she was interested in sports especially in athletics, after her class VIII in St.Xavier School, Moirang, she came to Imphal and continued her studies at Adimjati School. Being so fond of sports, she e.quired around and found out about women boxing.
It was a new idea since women boxers were relatively unknown those days. The rise of Dingko Singh and the demonstration of women boxers at the 5th National Games (Manipur) inspired her.

“Mary Kom decided to hang up her books and enter into the ring with determination and strong will. To pursue her dream of becoming a world class pugilist, she joined Sports Authority of India, Khuman Lampak and underwent an intensive training from coach and mentor, Ibomcha Singh,” claimed her official website.
Even though she came from a remote village, Mary got support and guidance from various eminent individuals including, Manipur State coaches Narjit Singh and Kishan Singh, apart from them she got constant patronage from Khoibi Salam, Secretary of MABA and Vice President of IABA.

Government Support:

In 2005 Manipur Government gave her the post of Sub-inspector of police in 2005. She was promoted to inspector of police in 2008 and after her promotion in 2010 she is working as a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) in CID. She was also given a house at National Games Village without any cost for her outstanding achievements.

Mangte Chungneijang Mary Kom National Record:

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Mangte Chungneijang Mary Kom International Record:

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Source: Manipur Olympic Association

Mangte Chungneijang Mary Kom Awards Details:

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*Special Thanks to  Manas Maisnam  for drawing  the  Manipuri  Olympians – 2012 for KanglaOnline.com 

Photo courtesy: Economist: Intelligent Life Magazine

References

• Mary Kom Official Website http://www.marykom.com/marykom/index.php
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Kom (Wikipedia)
• http://tinyurl.com/cso7ouh (Economist: Intelligent Life – cover story, photos)
• http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/olympics/18102941 (BBC – article, photo)
• https://www.facebook.com%2MaryKomOfficial (Official Facebook page)
• https://www.facebook.com/mangte.marykom (Facebook profile)
• http://tinyurl.come2F7dguyzc (IndiaTimes – article, photos)