'Lone ranger' Mary Kom back on familiar turf

NEW DELHI: MC Mary Kom is in a familiar place. Ever since she first served notice of her talent by being the lone woman boxer from India at the Worlds, she was automatically earmarked for an Olympic medal when women's boxing made its debut at London 2012. Five world titles later, she may have inspired a new wave in women's boxing but on the eve of her first Olympics, she stands as the lone Indian woman again.
It has been a long journey, but like a little girl on her first day at school she is still attacked by nerves. "I am happy that I am the only woman boxer from India. But the high expectations give me a lot of stress. I try to chat with my coach and family to avoid it," she said here on Thursday.
Mary Kom, a devout church-goer, requests us to pray for her Olympics success. There is more softness to the fearsome glove-woman. "My kids told me, 'Momma, Go for the gold' when I met them last. They are too young to understand what London Olympics mean, but it gives me strength to beat all the odds.
Mary Kom, the lone woman in an all-male Indian team, has charted out a different programme with the help of her coach Charles Atkinson. "I will be training in Liverpool, and will come to London only for weigh-in before returning to Liverpool for a week," she says, adding. "Travelling will not make much difference.
"Coach Atkinson has made all the arrangements for my sparring partners," she points out.
Mary points to the scar above her left eye. "It's the beauty of boxing," she laughs, and adds, "You can win at one point and lose at the other. Anyone can be the biggest competitor. I can only try my best. The rest is on God."
BOXING CONTINGENT
Men's Team:
Devendro Singh (49kg), Shiva Thapa (56kg), Jai Bhagwan (60kg), Manoj Kumar (64kg), Vikas Krishan (69kg), Vijender Singh (75kg), Sumit Sangwan (81kg);
In women's category:
MC Mary Kom (51kg)
Coaches:
GS Sandhu (chief coach), BI Fernandez, Jaidev Bisht (assistant coach);
Support Staff:
Dr Abhishek Chaube, Hari Varma (physio)