Hail queen of the rings
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: October 18 2011 -

A photo profile on Mangte Chungneijang Mary Kom

As has happened a number of times, our sportspersons have once again brought a smile on our lips and made our hearts swell with pride with their achievements.

And the timing of this achievement couldn't have been better, stuck as we are in economic blockades and strife, it will certainly come as breath of fresh air, make us all feel that in spite of everything there are moments worth savouring in this land of ours.

And this time it is the women boxers who came back triumphant from the 12th Senior Women's National Boxing Championships which concluded 2 days back in Bhopal, who have given us just those moments.

The Manipur team clinched the overall second position of the Championship winning 2 gold medals, one silver and one bronze medal. Haryana became the overall Champion winning one extra medal each in gold, silver and bronze.

Manipur women's exemplary showing was once again led by five times World Women Boxing Champion Mangte Chungneijang Merykom, or MC Mary Kom as she is popularly known.

The other gold medal winner of the team is the young Sarjubala Devi, a Youth World Champion who defeated National Games Silver medalist and a local girl by a comfortable margin of 14 to 6 in the light flyweight category.

For Mary Kom it must have been a case of sweet revenge because it was to Pinki Jangra that she lost to in the 2009 National Championship, one of those very rare moments in her career. By all accounts, it was a fiercely contested bout but Mary Kom's experience and expertise on the ring got the better of Pinki Jangra, who on the way to the final, accounted for L Sarita Devi, a former World champion and four times Asian Champion.

E Memthoi bagged the silver medal in welterweight while L Jamuna fighting in the featherweight catogory accounted for the bronze medal in Manipur's kitty.

Three other boxers from the Manipur but representing other states and organizations - Mandakini representing All India Police (AIP) won the gold medal in featherweight, Sarita also representing AIP bagged the bronze in flyweight category and M Meenakumari representing Nagaland won the bronze medal in the bantamweight category. We also rejoice in their success.

This Championship once again underlined the depth of our state's talent with youngsters ready to step in the shoes of the veterans. And what can one say about Mary Kom, we have run out of adjectives to describe her determination, commitment and of course her sheer skills. She has inspired countless young people to take up this sports.

Vijendra Singh, the lone Olympics medal winner from this country in boxing after Mary Kom's 5th World champion title in 2010, is reported to have stated that he wanted to go back to his home town in Bhiwani to see the impact of this victory on the young girls there. "...next time I'm home, I will see a lot more girls taking to the ring thanks to Mary Kom," he is reported to have said then.

Her achievements are no longer personal achievements as President of the International boxing Association, Ching-Kup Wu said, Mary Kom's feat has strengthened the case of inclusion of Women's boxing in the 2012 London Olympics.

But as we bask in the reflected glory of these exemplary sportspersons, we should not be complacent especially the sports department. Already the competition even within the country is picking up and we should be geared meet the challenge from states like Haryana, Assam and Jharkhand.

The emergence of word beaters like Mary Kom and Sarita has got a lot to do with their indomitable spirit, their hard work and talent; they are exceptions.

It is now time for a fine tuned system to take care of producing many more champions. Sports as a curriculum should get the attention and priority it deserves in schools, especially in government schools, where the sports department could have a direct say.

Private schools most of which seem disinclined to pay much attention to sports should be given incentives as also some stick to take up sports in right earnest as part of the school curriculum.

Talent should be unearthed from a very young age and nurtured. Manipur has some excellent boxing coaches like the Dronacharya Awardee L Ibomcha Singh, make optimum use of their knowledge about boxing. Let more Mary Koms and Saritas emerge.