Six-time World champion M C Mary Kom on Thursday assured herself of an unprecedented eighth medal at the World Women’s Boxing Championship after advancing to (51kg) semifinals of the event at Ulan-Ude in Russia. The pugilist defeated Colombia’s Valencia Victoria via an unanimous 5-0 verdict to reach the final four.
With the win, Mary Kom improved her own record as the most successful boxer in the history of the tournament.
Before the start of the tournament, she had six gold and a silver in her kitty in 48kg category. This is the first time the Manipuri boxer has secured a world medal in the 51kg category. She had finished a quarterfinalist in this division in the past.
The 36-year-old Mary Kom triumphed 5-0 against Thailand’s Jutamas Jitpong, a spunky boxer who kept the veteran on her toes with an aggressive approach but just didn’t connect enough, to reach the quarters. The third-seeded Indian, who got a bye in the opening round, spent the first three minutes getting a good measure of her opponent before taking control of the proceedings.
Mary Kom’s incredible career is also studded with an Olympic bronze medal (2012), five Asian titles, gold medals at the Asian Games and the Commonwealth Games, besides numerous other international top finishes. This year alone, she won gold medals at the India Open in Guwahati and President’s Cup in Indonesia. She is also a sitting member of the Rajya Sabha.
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