New Delhi: Away from the limelight that cricketers receive and the hullaballoo over Sachin Tendulkar’s press conference in Mumbai on Sunday, a contingent of Indian athletes over the weekend did the country proud. In far off Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia, MC Mary Kom and Sarita Devi punched their way to gold medals in the Asian Women’s Boxing Championship, giving Indian women’s boxing another shot in the arm.
Overall, the Indian team finished second to China with a rich haul of two gold, four silver and two bronze medals. In particular, Mary Kom and Sarita’s success in the Olympic weight categories has raised the hopes of the Indian women boxers' qualification for the London Games.
Mary Kom, a five-time world champion, has been going about her business with admirable intensity and focus and the results spoke for themselves in Ulaanbaatar. Mary Kom, 29, began her campaign by defeating Thailand's Asian Games gold medalist Laopeam Peamwilai 6:4 in the second round. Having shifted from her customary 48 kgs to the Olympic 51 kgs, she had got a bye in the first round. Up against the Thai boxer, Mary Kom battled it out for a 2:1 lead after the first round and in the second she improved it to 3:1. Peamwilai reduced the lead in the third round, but in the fourth round it was the Indian who delivered two blows near the end to claim the bout.
Mary Kom’s next opponent was Mongolia’s Nandinsetseg Myagmardul of Mongolia in the quarter-finals. This bout proved tougher, but Mary Kom’s mental strength came to fore. From being down 2:4 after the first round, she changed her mode of attack after receiving advice from her coach Anoop Kumar and the result was a series of combination punches. As Mary Kom’s footwork improved, her punches became sharper and by the end of the third round she led 11:9. That was the inspiration she needed and the final result was 14:11 in Mary Kom’s favour.
In the 51kg final, Mary Kom defeated two-time world title winner and 2010 Asian Games gold medalist Ren Cancan of China 14-8. A 2:1 lead after the opening round was turned into a 7:3 advantage after the second, 11:6 by the end of the third and 14:8 by the end of the fourth. It was sweet revenge for Mary Kom against the boxer who beat her in the 2010 Asian Games.
Sarita’s success in the 60kg final, in which she defeated Asian Championship gold medalist Chorieva Mavzuna of Tajkistan 16:9, was the result of a spirited performance all tournament. The 2006 world champion started by beating Gulzhaina Ubbiniyazova of Kazakhstan, in a bout in which she went onto the offensive early. With her coach in her ear regularly, Sarita took on the Kazakh boxer with gusto and never let the advantage slip. From 16:8 after three round, she eventually won 23:11.
Next in line was current Asian Games gold medalist and former world No. 1 Chen Dong of China in the semi-finals on March 24. It was a marquee match which the Indian beat Dong 26:15 to face Tajikistan’s Chorieva Mavzuna in the finals. Sarita took a 5:1 lead after the first round and never let it go, winning gold with a 16:9 victory.
Sarita and Mary Kom aside, India’s boxing contingent did the country proud. Pinki Jangra (48kg) came in a narrow second against Mongolia’s Bolortuul Tumurhuyag of Mongolia with a 22:24 result; Sonia Lather (54kg) lost to Ke Jia Luu of China 8:12; Monica Saun lost to Dong Mei Wang of China 10:13; and Pooja Rani (75kg) fought hard before losing to world champion and Asian Games gold medalist Jinzi Li of China 8:15.
Commending the Indian women’s contingent on their excellent showing, the president of the Indian Amateur Boxing Federation, Abhay Singh Chautala, said: “Indian women have always done exceptionally well at the Continental Championships; this year our boxers have once again displayed outstanding talent and spirit to win the runner’s up trophy. MC Mary Kom and Sarita Devi have been the pioneers of the sport in the country. What they have accomplished is beyond comparison and makes them the true hero’s of the sport”.
Strong words of praise indeed, and the hope now is that these performances boost the Indian pugilists ahead of the World Championships in May.
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