Known for her grit and determination, boxing great MC Mary Kom is leaving no stone unturned in her bid to win that elusive Olympic gold medal. (More Sports News)
In an exclusive interview with Outlook, the only boxer to win eight World Championship medals, revealed how she's preparing herself for the Tokyo Games next year.
Amid the coronavirus chaos, the 37-year-old supermom is dedicating everything that she has -- the dream and means -- to produce a perfect hurrah when the best congregate in the Japanese capital in 11 months' time.
"Actually, it's not only me. Everyone is stuck, everyone is panicked in this situation... but I do my training regularly," the London Olympics bronze medallist said.
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And she feels lucky that there is training equipment at her home. "I have some equipment at home. Even before this COVD-19, I have arranged some of the equipment at home."
But the women boxing's trailblazer is concerned for other boxers who don't have the means to train during these trying times. "Those who don't have, they will have some problem, they will be suffering," she added.
Known as the 'Magnificent Mary', a fitting sobriquet bestowed upon her by the International Boxing Association (IABA) itself, Kom has given herself a chance to bow out in style.
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But Kom is aware that winning an Olympic gold medal needs much more than training and hard work. It requires the will power, one trait which has so far helped her conquer all the odds and become arguably of the greatest boxers in the world.
"That's what, this will power. Being mentally strong, this is very, very required in every field. If you have that, I think people cannot beat you easily," she said.
The Manipuri boxer, who started as an athlete, is aware of the fact that winning and losing are part of the game. But Kom is quietly confident that with her experience, she will be able to win the yellow medal for India.
"For a sportsperson, it's going up and down. Sometimes we win, sometimes we lose" Kom said, adding she has "been fighting for almost 20 years" and yet still "working hard, giving everything".
Tokyo Olympics will see Indian boxing at its full bloom. So far, a record nine Indian pugilists, including Kom, have qualified for the Games. What it needs is a gold medal for boxing's grand matriarch.
