Women’s Boxing: India’s Mary Kom delivers 4th World Title

India’s M C Mary Kom clinched her fourth World Championship gold in the 46kg category at the fifth AIBA World Championships being held at Ningbo City, China, on Saturday. Team India, though, failed to retain the overall crown.

In a repeat of the previous World Championship final in New Delhi, the 25-year-old mother M C Mary Kom out-punched Romania’s Steluta Duta 7-1 to grab India’s only gold medal at the event. Out of the 5 AIBA World Championships (2001 - Scranton, USA; 2002 - Antalya, Turkey; 2005 - Podolsk, Russia; 2006 - New Delhi, India; 2008 - Ningbo City, China), Mary Kom had won a silver in the 1st edition (48kg, the 46kg category was introduced from 2002) and has won the gold in all other editions. She is arguably the world’s most successful woman boxer. Also, what makes this 4th title even more fascinating is that Mary Kom just delivered twin boys in August 2007 and so had been away from the ring for two years. On her return in September, she lost in the final of the Asian Championship in Guwahati. Even before leaving for China, chief coach Anup Kumar had declared her “80% fit.” But Mary Kom proved why, even at 80%, she is still a class apart, winning all her bouts with ease.

The other Indian finalist, N Usha (57kg) had to be content with a silver for the second successive time after she lost 1-6 to Chinese Qin Jian. Chhoto Laura (50kg) and L Sarita Devi (52kg), who lost in the semifinals on Friday, were the other two medal winners.

India, who went in as defending champions with a smallish seven-member contingent, finished the tournament with a haul of one gold, a silver and two bronze medals. India finished fifth at the event tied on 18 points with South Korea but with a better points per boxer average of 2.6.

China, which clinched a remarkable five gold, two silver and four bronze medals at the event was the undisputed team champion with 52 points. The hosts had an astonishing points per boxer average of 4. Turkey (20) beat Russia (20) in the points per boxer average to take the second spot. Canada was third with 19 points.