How early struggles in life shaped Mary Kom the boxer
Having tackled poverty and prejudice, Mary Kom carries the feistiness to the boxing ring
By Olympic Channel Writer
28 July 2021 13:44 GMT+5:30
How early struggles in life shaped Mary Kom the boxer
After winning her fifth gold medal at the Asian Championships in 2017, MC Mary Kom said, “This medal is very special to me just like all other medals I have won, because it has its own story of struggles. Every medal I have won is a story of a difficult struggle.”
Nothing came easy for the Indian boxing legend, who is competing at her second Olympics at Tokyo 2020, which began on July 23.
She won her opening round bout in the women's flyweight category and is set to play her Round of 16 bout on Thursday.
Mary Kom was born to Mangte Tonpa Kom and Mangte Akham Kom in the Kangathei village in rural Manipur. She was one of four siblings and would spend a lot of time helping her parents, who were landless peasants, in the field.
“The early days of my childhood were an extreme struggle with poverty,” Mary Kom had told the Health Site in 2012.
“I had to help my parents in the fields, take care of my siblings, take care of the house and attend school. I would still say that responsibilities were few at that early age.
“Then came boxing, and yes it wasn’t easy for me to keep moving ahead as most people saw it as a male sport, including my parents. Moreover my diminutive size made it more difficult for me to convince all that boxing was what I was made for. It took a lot to get past those initial hurdles and get involved with the sport wholeheartedly.
“When I was finally there it was a constant juggle – to spend adequate time for the training and keep up with my duties for the family. The training and equipment was also not something I could afford easily.”
She was inspired to take up boxing after Dingko Singh’s success at the 1998 Asian Games, when he won the gold medal in the 54kg bantamweight category. She had to keep her boxing pursuit a secret from her father until she started competing at national championships.
“There was one time when I really couldn’t make ends meet and told her I’m sorry but I can’t support your diet,” her father Tonpa told the Indian Express in 2018.
“She told me, don’t worry: when others eat meals worth Rs 50, I will eat meals worth Rs 25. At that point I decided that I have to support her no matter what.”
Kom saw a struggle with poverty from an early age, making it difficult to even follow the diet of a wrestler. Along with attending school in her early days, she would also look after her younger siblings and help her parents in the fields.
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How early struggles in life shaped Mary Kom the boxer
Having tackled poverty and prejudice, Mary Kom carries the feistiness to the boxing ring
By Olympic Channel Writer
28 July 2021 13:44 GMT+5:30
How early struggles in life shaped Mary Kom the boxer
After winning her fifth gold medal at the Asian Championships in 2017, MC Mary Kom said, “This medal is very special to me just like all other medals I have won, because it has its own story of struggles. Every medal I have won is a story of a difficult struggle.”
Nothing came easy for the Indian boxing legend, who is competing at her second Olympics at Tokyo 2020, which began on July 23.
She won her opening round bout in the women's flyweight category and is set to play her Round of 16 bout on Thursday.
Mary Kom was born to Mangte Tonpa Kom and Mangte Akham Kom in the Kangathei village in rural Manipur. She was one of four siblings and would spend a lot of time helping her parents, who were landless peasants, in the field.
“The early days of my childhood were an extreme struggle with poverty,” Mary Kom had told the Health Site in 2012.
“I had to help my parents in the fields, take care of my siblings, take care of the house and attend school. I would still say that responsibilities were few at that early age.
“Then came boxing, and yes it wasn’t easy for me to keep moving ahead as most people saw it as a male sport, including my parents. Moreover my diminutive size made it more difficult for me to convince all that boxing was what I was made for. It took a lot to get past those initial hurdles and get involved with the sport wholeheartedly.
“When I was finally there it was a constant juggle – to spend adequate time for the training and keep up with my duties for the family. The training and equipment was also not something I could afford easily.”
She was inspired to take up boxing after Dingko Singh’s success at the 1998 Asian Games, when he won the gold medal in the 54kg bantamweight category. She had to keep her boxing pursuit a secret from her father until she started competing at national championships.
“There was one time when I really couldn’t make ends meet and told her I’m sorry but I can’t support your diet,” her father Tonpa told the Indian Express in 2018.
“She told me, don’t worry: when others eat meals worth Rs 50, I will eat meals worth Rs 25. At that point I decided that I have to support her no matter what.”
Answer:
Kom saw a struggle with poverty from an early age, making it difficult to even follow the diet of a wrestler. Along with attending school in her early days, she would also look after her younger siblings and help her parents in the fields.
Explanation:
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