Felicitations, more felicitations, interviews, more interviews, phone calls, visits, functions, life never stopped for MC Mary Kom after she won a bronze at the London Olympics. A biopic, in between; monetary sanction for her most-loved possession — the boxing academy. Going by the numbers, perhaps, she will be the most feted Olympic medallist in the country. Such has been her rags-to-riches story that she became a star, globally, overnight.
Bring it on! This seems to have become the motto of Mary Kom’s life. Never the one to shy away from troubles and challenges, the 30-year-old is known for her never-say-die attitude — be it inside the boxing ring or in the streets of Manipur.
It’s been a ‘bumpy’ ride for Mary after she became the first Indian woman boxer to win a bronze medal at the Olympics. The first few months were spent attending promotional events and felicitation functions and working on her academy. And yes, attending the never-ending streak of phone calls. Then she was back in yet another familiar territory — on maternity leave. And in May, she was blessed with a son — Prince. While many felt the mother of three would hang up her gloves post Olympics, Mary thought otherwise. Having been through this phase before when she gave birth to her twin boys Rechungvar and Khupneivar, making a comeback to the ring this time around would be easier.
“It’s the same route that I took the last time I became a mother. For the next six months, I won’t be training, after that I will start light training and get back to competitive fitness,” she said just after delivery. Though it will take a year for her to be fit, she has little to worry as there are no major events lined up for the next 12 months. Though she will be 34, an age in sporting parlance tugs grim notes, there is no stopping her and she is confident of going all the way in Rio.
“I could not get a gold in the Olympics. If the 48kg division is added for the 2016 Rio, then I would definitely give it a shot,” said Kom, who was bestowed with the Padma Bhushan and Arjuna Award this year. While there’s still time for Mary to get back to training, she has taken to other means to keep herself busy. The latest one being joining a campaign to repair a road after her in Imphal!
The last time Mary returned from a sabbatical, she went onto win the world championship for a fourth time. Whoever thought that maternity would sap the power off her punch were grossly mistaken. Only time will tell what this wonder woman has in store for us. Till then, she and the world await with bated breath for her upcoming biopic starring Priyanka Chopra.