She is over the moon after becoming the first Indian woman boxer toclinch an Olympic medal but bronze is not the colour for M C Mary Kom, whofeels she could have finished higher on the podium had it not been for the"confusion" that gripped her during the semifinals.
'Magnificent Mary' as she is called by the International Boxing Association,was the lone Indian in fray when women's boxing made its Olympic debut in thejust-concluded London Games.
The five-time world champion ensured a piece of history for herself and thecountry by fetching a bronze in the flyweight 51kg division. But for someonewho is more used to finishing at the top, bronze was less than satisfactory.
"I am very happy to be the first Indian woman boxer to get a bronze medalbut I am sad that I could not convert it into gold. I don't know what happenedduring my semifinal bout. My body was not moving the way I would have liked andI felt as if I could not do anything. I was very much confused," the 29-year-old,who returned to the country to a rousing reception early this morning, told PTIin an interview.
Hundreds of cheering fans welcomed Mary Kom at the airport, breaking into animpromptu jig in which the boxer also participated. She was accompanied by her husbandOnler Kom and her mother Akham Kom.
Mary Kom lost 6-11 to England's two-time world champion Nicola Adams in thesemifinals and reflecting on the bout, the diminutive Manipuri was at a loss ofwords to explain what went wrong.
"I never get nervous before bouts but that day I don't know what washappening to me. I can't even explain it. I was not attacking as much and maybe it was the crowd also which was cheering Nicola. I generally don't getaffected by how the crowd is behaving but probably in the semifinals, itaffected me," she recalled.
The Indian conceded that Adams had the bout but was not quite convinced by thescoreline which she felt was narrower than what the record books show.
"I don't think it was that big a margin even though I admit that Nicolawon it. At best, it could have been a difference of 2-3 points but certainlynot 6-11. Even though my body was not moving that well, I think I hit her hardand I should not have lost by that margin," she insisted.
"I don't think she hit me so many clear punches, hers was a touch-and-gogame. I had already fought my toughest bout of the competition in the firstround itself," she said.
The mother-of-twins was nevertheless happy that she returned to the countrywith a medal around her neck.
"I think I have achieved everything that I dreamt of. Of course I wanted agold medal at the Olympics but I am happy with the bronze too because I am thefirst Indian woman boxer to get it," she laughed.
However, realisation of all her dreams does not mean that Mary Kom is thinkingof hanging up her gloves just yet.
"I am planning to continue till the next Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. Idon't know if my body will allow this to happen but if it does, then I wouldsurely try to get a gold there," she said.
Asked to compare her five world titles with the Olympic bronze, Mary Komemphatically said that nothing can beat the thrill of being there on the podiumat the biggest sporting show on earth.
"This Olympic bronze is very, very special for me. Of course the worldtitles also mean a lot but an Olympic medal is at an altogether different levelfor every athlete in the world. It is the highest honour," she explained.
"It is a perfect climax to all the hardships that I have gone throughduring my life. God has been kind to me," said the boxer, reflecting on a12-year career during which she changed three weight categories since debutingin 45kg.
As for celebrating the historic triumph in London, Mary Kom said once thefelicitations and media interactions end, she would hold a quiet thanksgivingprayer at a church in her home state.
"I don't know when I will get the time to celebrate because there is somuch media and other commitments. But once I go back home, I would have athanksgiving prayer before Christmas to celebrate my medal," she said.
On the judging controversies that rocked the men's Olympic bouts, includingthose involving India, Mary Kom said probably the referees were not experiencedenough at the big event.
"I am very much confused because I don't know how the system worked in themen's competition. I think the referees did not have enough experience,"she said.
The four-time Asian champion said it would have been a double cause ofcelebration had her male counterparts also managed a medal.
"I am very disappointed that the men did not get a medal.
It is sad because they had worked very hard and after (Vijender Singh's bronzemedal in) Beijing, I expected a better performance from them," she said.