MC Mary Kom
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One of the most talented boxers in Indian history, MC Mary Kom is also one of its most decorated. The 33-year-old began her boxing training in earnest at the age of 16, and began winning titles early on in her career.
The first of those came in 2002 at the Women’s World Amateur Boxing Championships in Antalya, Turkey, where Mary won gold – a medal that would be the first of many. She won gold at the Championships on four separate occasions – two each in the pinweight and flyweight categories, and silver in 2008 – bringing her tally up to a staggering five medals at the event.
Perhaps the biggest achievement of Mary’s career, however, came at the London Olympics in 2012. The Games were the first time women’s boxing had been included as an Olympic sport, and following a series of events leading up to the Olympics, became the only Indian woman to qualify.
Participating in the flyweight category, Mary would go on to win the bronze medal.
She also won gold at the Asian Games in 2014, her first at the event, and has been in training for the Olympics since.
Although the 33-year-old missed out on a direct qualifying spot after her loss at the Asian and Oceanic Boxing qualifiers, she will have another opportunity to qualify at an AIBA event in Kazakhstan – and with Olympic medal experience is one of India’s best prospects for Rio 2016.
