Mary Kom signs off with bronze in World Women's Championships

Six-time champion MC Mary Kom on Saturday (October 12) settled for a bronze medal in the World Women’s Boxing Championships while participating in the 51 kg category after losing to Turkey’s Busenaz Cakiroglu in semi-finals.

Third-seed Mary Kom faced 1-4 defeat to second seed Cakiroglu, who is the reigning European Championships and European Games gold-medallist.

Both the boxers seemed hesitant to make the first move in the opening round of the intense bout, however, Mary Kom edged the counter-attacks as the opponent struggled to use her height advantage in the right way.

The second round too followed the similar pattern as far as tactics went but Cakiroglu seemed the sharper of the two.

In the final three minutes, both the boxers upped the ante but Cakiroglu became the dominant aggressor eventually.

Also read: Mary Kom assured of 8th world medal in boxing, enters semifinals

Despite this loss, it was a stupendous campaign for the 36-year-old Mary Kom and added to her long list of accomplishments. This bronze is her first world medal in the 51kg category.

Besides six world titles, Mary Koms 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.

Later in the evening session, Manju Rani (48kg) will be up against Thailand’s Chuthamat Raksat, who upstaged fifth seed Yuliyanova Asenova in the quarterfinals. Jamuna Boro (54kg) will take on top seed and former Asian Games bronze-medallist Huang Hsiao-Wen of Chinese Taipei.

Last editions bronze-medallist Lovlina Borgohain (69kg) will face Chinas Yang Liu, who took down top seed Chen Nien-Chin.

(With inputs from agencies)