CHENNAI: MC Mary Kom is back! And the boxing ace is returning with a purpose. Taking part in a new category (51kg), the London Olympics bronze medallist will be one among 75-odd boxers from the country flexing their muscles at the upcoming India Open in Guwahati from May 20.
The winners will get richer by $2500 (`1,76,510 approx) while silver-medallists will earn $1000 (`70,600 approx). More than the prize money, the lure for Mary and Co will be that a performance here could steer them to the World Championships in Yekaterinburg, Russia (Sep 7-21). If they make the cut for the latter (based on rankings/performances and trials), they will be in the running for Olympic qualification.
For Mary, who has mostly plied her trade in the light flyweight (49 kg) category, this will be a great platform to show that she means business and that she has all it takes to go for even more Olympic glory. It won’t be an easy route though as others have stepped up and done well over the last few years. Most recently, it was Nikhat Zareen who upset a two-time world champ to clinch silver in Asian Championships.
Apart from Nikhat, there’s Pinki Jangra who has shocked Mary in the past. Youth world champ in 2017, Jyoti is another boxer who could pull off a surprise or two. National women’s chief coach Mohammed Ali Qamar felt the change shouldn’t affect the seasoned Mary. “She has competed in this category (51 kg) in the past with distinction. She will do alright,” he noted.
Pooja Rani is another boxer making a new beginning. After recently winning an Asian Championships gold, Pooja is dropping from 81kg to 75kg. Competing in the latter will give her a chance for the Olympics. The 75kg is not foreign to the Haryana boxer but making this alteration at short notice could be a challenge. “She (Pooja) is buoyed after her victory in Asian Championships. The change shouldn’t affect her game much as her weight has always been below 81 kg,” Ali Qamar said.
The meet has a lot riding on it for others as well. “How they perform in Guwahati will factor while selecting them for the trials,” Santiago Nieva, India boxing high performance director, said.
World Championship bronze medallist Gaurav Bidhuri is another boxer seeking a fresh start. Bidhuri had been sidelined with the emergence of youngsters like Kavinder Singh Bisht, Mohammad Hussamuddin and Madan Lal.
Mary and the other Indians will have to contend with the top boxers from Uzbekistan, Thailand and The Philippines.