Putting things in perspective
Well done, Mary Kom
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: August 09, 2012 -

Well done, Mary Kom.

Her loss in the semi-final to a bigger and stronger opponent would no doubt have left many of her fans and die hard supporters a disappointed lot but certain points need to be put in perspective to appreciate her achievement.

At 5 feet 2 inches, Mary was probably the smallest competitor in the 51 Kg category with her opponents towering above her by at least two inches, which means a lot, especially when this translates into longer reach and more power.

During more than a decade as a boxer she had remained in the 46, 48 or 49 Kg category but had to move to the 51 Kg category to fit in with the arrangements made at the Olympics.

This meant bigger and stronger opponents.

These physical divides however did not stop her from entering the semi-final, out punching two bigger and stronger opponents on the way.

Stuff that champions are made of.

And the manner in which Mary put aside the absence of her personal coach at the ring to blaze her way to the semi-final has only made her showing at the Olympics all that more memorable.

Speculative questions are best left unaddressed but there comes a time when it may be worth it to explore such a question for this may just about add up to the line that separates the winner from the loser and in Mary's case between the Bronze she has landed and the Silver or even Gold which she narrowly missed.

For months, one of India's brightest medal prospects trained under a coach with an eye on the Olympics only to be told later that the coach cannot be at the Games village since he does not have the AIBA accreditation.

Rules are rules and everyone should fall in line, but the significant question is, if this is the case then why weren't corrective measures taken up earlier ? Didn't the people organising the training of the Olympians know about this ? Maybe this should haunt the thoughts of the sports administrator so that such an example is not repeated in the future.

Expectations can take funny and unfathomable twists.

Too little of it may translate into wallowing in a pool of mediocrity or too much of it can break and hence the need to put things in its correct perspective and according to this yardstick, Mary Kom has done more than she could.

Five, ten years down the line and would Mary Kom be remembered as the lady who lost in the semi-final bout or a Bronze medallist or simply an Olympics medallist, without referring to the colour of her medal ? Or would she be remembered as an unbeaten champ, five times, at the World Championship or an Olympian who managed a Bronze after losing her bout in the semi-final ? Whatever the answer may be, in Mary Kom, India and Manipur in particular, has found a champion, an icon, who can be a shining example of tenacity and will power.

Don't say sorry, Mary.

You have won the people's hearts and demonstrated that you are a champion.