Mary Kom performs golden hat-trick in world boxing
Nov 24, 2006 - 4:53:04 AM
, Reviewed by: Priya Saxena
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In all, 181 boxers, including 13 from India, took part in the championships in which competition was held in 13 weight categories.
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By Indo Asian News Service,
[RxPG] New Delhi, Nov 23 - India's M.C. Mary Kom - completed a fabulous hat-trick Thursday as she won a third successive gold medal in the Women's World Boxing Championships here with compatriots Jenny R. Lalranliani, Lekha K.C. and Laishram Sarita Devi also joining the gold rush.
Thanks to their medals, coupled with N. Usha's silver - and bronze medals of Chotu Loura -, Aruna Mishra - and Renu -, India won the team title with 34 points. Russia came second with 28 points.
Besides Mary Kom, who had won the gold in the earlier championships in Russia last year and in Turkey in 2004, Jenny -, Lekha - and Sarita Devi - were the toast of the almost packed Talkatora Indoor Stadium.
While India won four gold, a silver and three bronze, Russian boxers won three gold and as many bronze medals.
Each Indian gold medal winner will received Rs.300,000, the silver winner Rs.200,000 and all bronze medallists will get Rs.100,000.
All eyes were on Mary Kom Thursday evening, and when she took the ring the crowd cheered her loudly. But she didn't get carried away. Her punches were right on target.
It was her Romanian opponent Steluta Duta who opened the scoring. But the Indian was all pumped up and her left and right hooks were enough to send Duta on the back foot.
The Indian won the first round 9:4 points and in the second round it was 15:5 in her favour. In the third and the final round, the 24-year-old Manipuri girl was in her elements as she easily won 22:7 to become the toast of the nation.
'Words are not enough to express how I am feeling today. I have worked very hard for this day and I knew that it would be rewarded,' said Mary Kom after the bout, with tears of joy rolling down her cheeks.
Earlier in the evening, Jenny had won India's first gold.
She defeated Klara Svensson of Sweden in the final when the referee stopped the bout owning to a huge point gap. The Indian won the first round 11:4 points and had established a huge 23:8 lead in the second round when the referee stepped in.
On Thursday, Jenny also came to know that she has been promoted from being an inspector in the Mizoram police to the Deputy Superintendent of Police.
'I got a call from the state secretary, who gave me the news of my promotion,' said Jenny after her golden performance.
Lekha beat Jinzi Li of China in the 75kg final. After the first round, the Indian had built up a small lead, 8-5. But in the second, a combination of left and right hooks saw the Indian stretching it to 20-8, and in the end she emerged champion by a huge 30:9 margin.
In the 63kg final, Jenny was severe on Swede Klara Svennsson right from the word go. With her quick punches and swift movements, she didn't give her opponent any chance to stage a rally.
India's fourth gold of the day came when Sarita Devi defeated Ukranian Viktoria Rudendko. After the first round, the Indian led 6-4, and when the second round started there was no stopping her and she stretched the lead to 15-9.
Sarita received a few jabs from Rudenko, but the Indian answered the Ukrainian in the same manner finished the match at 24-16.
'I can't believe that I have bagged my first gold medal in the World Championship. I am grateful to god for this,' said an ecstatic Sarita.
The only disappointment of the day for India was N. Usha, who tamely went down 7-17 to Yum Kum Ju of North Korea.
In the other results, Ri Jong Hyang of North Korea defeated Yesica Bopp of Argentina 14:10 in the 48kg category to win the gold.
In the 50kg category, Hasibe Erkoc of Turkey defeated Siyuan Li of China 18:12 to finish first, while Ochigava Sof'Ya of Russia beat Karolina Michalczuk of Poland 21:2 in the 54kg class.
Katif Taylor Ireland won the gold in the 60kg category when she defeated Anabella Farias of Argentina 31:14 points.
Ariane Fortin of Canada defeated Akima Stocks 17:2 points in the 70kg, and Frenchwoman Aya Cissoko overcame Oleksandra Kozlan Ukraine 10:1 to win the gold in the 66kg category.
Sinitskaya Irina clinched the second gold for Russia after she defeated Chitiqua Hemingway of the United States 13-6 in the 80kg category.
In the 86kg category Russian Surkova Elena clinched the third gold for her country by defeating defending champion Mari Kovacs of Hungary 201-6.
In all, 181 boxers, including 13 from India, took part in the championships in which competition was held in 13 weight categories.
The winner in each category will receive $2,500, the runner-up $1,500 and the third will get $750.
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