Mary Kom Interview: "I was pretty confident about myself"

There had to be one successful story if Indian women were to survive in sports, and we have that story now. Enough has been said about this great warrior who conquered the world. This warrior is none other than Mary Mangte Kom – the Komqueror and the Komrade. Her greatness is reinforced by the way she apologized to the whole nation for not being able to win the Gold. She is a legend for sure and an idol for all the sportswomen to look up to.

In an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda correspondent Taruka Srivastav, Olympic Bronze medalist Mary Kom talked about her preparation for the Olympics and her elation at winning a medal.

First things first – you’re the first Indian female boxer to win an Olympics medal for India. Has the feeling completely sunk in?

I am really happy with my achievement and yes it is yet to sink in. I am just so exhilarated.

You were the only female representative from India in boxing. Did that put additional pressure on you?

No, not at all. I was pretty confident about myself. I knew.

Your coach Charles Atkinson was not allowed to accompany you to the Olympics. How did that affect your preparations?

Well I did miss him there but thankfully, we had already done our homework and I was well prepared.

During your preparations for the Olympics, you sparred with the male boxers of the Indian contingent. Who was your favourite sparring partner?

(Laughs) Well, I trained hard in Pune and the male boxers were kind enough to practise with me whenever I required them. To name a favourite would be unfair.

You were quoted saying “Adams was very clever, a counter-puncher but, although she carried power, she wasn’t very tactical. I was scoring but the judges were not pressing the buttons.” Do you think dodgy judging was part of the reason for your loss in the semifinals?

Yes, I think some of the decisions were unfortunate and did not work to my benefit.

India managed just 6 medals in the 2012 Olympics even thought we are a nation of 1.3 billion people. Where do you think a change is required to get help us win medals that are proportionate with our population?

I think more and more people should take up sports as a full-time career if we want more gold medals. More corporates should come in and sponsor players so that the players don’t have any financial pressure and can just focus on their games.

Do you think interest in boxing in India will ever go beyond the Olympics?

Yes, I am sure that in a few years boxing will be very popular among everyone in India, all the year round.

Will you fight in Rio 2016?

Yes, I will try my best to participate and win the gold which eluded me this year.

How aware are Indian women of their nutritional requirements? Diet and nutrition must’ve been a key factor in your conditioning for the Olympics. Do you think nutrition is a neglected area in Indian sports?

The awareness is growing now among the female athletes when it comes to nutritional requirements. Nutrition has definitely been a neglected area in Indian sports. I had to gain 3 kgs since I had to fight in the 51kg event instead of the usual 48 kgs that I fight in. So I had to focus on what to eat. I gained weight by eating the right kind of healthy food rather than bad saturated fats.

How big a role did OGQ play in shaping the boxing scene in India for the better?

OGQ really played an important part in my success. They helped me out whenever I needed something. They took care of everything, which helped me focus on my boxing and kept me stress-free.

What’s your opinion on the future of Indian boxing?

The future is very bright and I am sure many more boxers will get medals for us.

Do you find it it difficult to convince your children not to fight when they watch you go out and do it in style all the time?

Well, I have twins and yes, sometimes it becomes really difficult to keep them under control.

Will you train your your kids to become boxers as well?

I haven’t really thought about it. As of now, just let their mother box!

You have broken several stereotypes about the women in India by showing that women can compete with men in any field. But how good are you at the ‘traditional’ feminine activities like cooking?

Well, I am good at cooking and other household work too.

Would you be interested in coaching Indian women in boxing one day?

Let’s see. In the future, maybe yes.

What do you prefer being called — Super Mom or Super Boxer?

I love being a mom. That’s the best thing that has ever happened to me.