MMary KomPersonal life[edit]

Mary Kom was born in Kangathei, in Churachanpur district of Manipur. Her parents, Mangte Tonpa Kom and Mangte Akham Kom, worked in jhum fields.[7] She completed her primary education from Loktak Christian Model High School, Moirang, up to her class VI standard and attended St. Xavier Catholic School, Moirang, up to class VIII. She then moved to Adimjati High School, Imphal, for her schooling for class IX and X, but could not pass her exam. She did not want to reappear for her exams so she quit her school and gave her examination from NIOS, Imphal and graduation from Churachandpur College.[8]

Although she had a keen interest in athletics from childhood, it was the success of Dingko Singh that inspired her to become a boxer in 2000. She started her training under the close eye of M. Narjit Singh, Manipur State Boxing Coach at Khuman Lampak,Imphal.[9]

She is married to K Onler Kom and has twin sons, Rechungvar and Khupneivar.[10][11] They first met in 2001 when Mary was at New Delhi on her way to National Games in Punjab while Onler was studying at Delhi University. They married in 2005 after 4 years of dating.[12]

Return to boxing[edit]

After an eight-year break, she won a silver medal at the 2008 Asian Women's Boxing Championship in India[13] and a fourth successive gold medal at the AIBA Women's World Boxing Championship in China,[14] followed by a gold medal at the 2009 Asian Indoor Games in Vietnam.[citation needed][13]

In 2010, Kom won the gold medal at the Asian Women's Boxing Championship in Kazakhstan,[13] and at the AIBA Women's World Boxing Championship in Barbados, her fifth consecutive gold at the championship. She competed in Barbados in the 48 kg weight class, after AIBA had stopped using the 46 kg class.[15] In the 2010 Asian Games, she competed in the 51 kg class - the lowest in the contest - and won a bronze medal.[citation needed] In 2011, she won gold in the 48 kg class at the Asian Women's Cup in China,[citation needed] and in 2012 took the gold medal in the 51 kg class at the Asian Women's Boxing Championship in Mongolia.[16]

On 3 October 2010, she, along with Vijender Singh, had the honour of bearing the Queen's Baton in its opening ceremony run in the stadium for the 2010 Commonwealth Games of Delhi.[17][18] She did not compete, however, as women's boxing was not included in the Commonwealth Games.ary Kom