Mary Kom The Magnificent Story of India’s Legendary Boxing Star

By Johan --
Thursday, 29 Jul, 2021

Mary Kom is, without doubt, one of the most fascinating athletes on the planet. It’s no wonder that she has already had a feature film made about her life: Kom’s story is remarkable. Born in a poor region of India, it looked likely that she would end up working the land with her family.

But – overcoming the objections from her family – she moved to the city, became a boxer after persuading a local coach to take her on, and worked her way up to becoming a champion.

Kom has since won a medal at all eight AIBA World Boxing Championships since its inception in 2001 (six golds, a silver and a bronze, most recently in 2019), risen to no.1 in the AIBA world rankings for a flyweight, and competed at the London 2012 Olympic Games, winning a bronze medal after being beaten by eventual champion Nicola Adams.

She was also the first Indian woman to win a gold medal at the Asian Games (in 2014) and at the Commonwealth Games (2018).

But she is a trailblazer in more ways than one. Kom has combined fighting with being a mother of three young children, she runs a sports club in her native Manipur, training youngsters to box for free, and she has become a member of the Indian Upper House of Parliament, the Rajya Sabha, campaigning on numerous issues for her fellow citizens.

She is an Indian national hero already – but there could yet be an amazing final chapter to her sporting career. Kom is determined to make it to Tokyo 2020 and win a gold medal. What an achievement that would be – and what a fitting end it could be to a glorious boxing career.

Mary Kom Achievements

Year	Place	Weight	Competition
2001	Silver	48	Women’s World Amateur Boxing Championships
2002	Gold	45	Women’s World Amateur Boxing Championships
2002	Gold	45	Witch Cup
2003	Gold	46	Asian Women’s Championships
2004	Gold	41	Women’s World Cup
2005	Gold	46	Asian Women’s Championships
2005	Gold	46	Women’s World Amateur Boxing Championships
2006	Gold	46	Women’s World Amateur Boxing Championships
2006	Gold	46	Venus Women’s Box Cup
2008	Gold	46	Women’s World Amateur Boxing Championships
2008	Silver	46	Asian Women’s Championships
2009	Gold	46	Asian Indoor Games
2010	Gold	48	Women’s World Amateur Boxing Championships
2010	Gold	46	Asian Women’s Championships
2010	Bronze	51	Asian Games
2011	Gold	48	Asian Women’s Cup
2012	Gold	41	Asian Women’s Championships
2012	Bronze	51	Summer Olympics
2014	Gold	51	Asian Games
2017	Gold	48	Asian Women’s Championships
2018	Gold	45-48	Commonwealth Games

Mary Kom Awards

The International Boxing Association (AIBA) awarded Mary Kom with the first AIBA Legends awards for “promising boxing career.”
The International Boxing Association (AIBA) announced Mary Kom as the brand ambassador for the 2016 AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships.
Padma Bhushan (Sports), 2013
Arjuna Award (Boxing), 2003
Padma Shri (Sports), 2006
Contender for Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award, 2007
People of the Year- Limca Book of Records, 2007
CNN-IBN & Reliance Industries’ Real Heroes Award 14.4. 2008 Mon
Pepsi MTV Youth Icon 2008
‘Magnificent Mary’, AIBA 2008
Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award, 2009
International Boxing Association Ambassador for Women’s Boxing 2009
Sportswoman of the year 2010, Sahara Sports Award