Mary Kom down on her knees

Tribune News Service

Vinayak Padmadeo

New Delhi, June 10

It only took a little over thirty seconds, and it was all over for Mary Kom in the trials for the Birmingham Commonwealth Games.

In the 48kg category semifinals bout against Nitu, Mary twisted her knee and fell on the mat. The 39-year-old received medical attention after which she tried to continue, but the excruciating pain forced her to forfeit the bout in the first round. As a result, Nitu was announced the winner via RSCI (Referee Stops Contest due to injury).

Had Mary beaten her sparring partner Nitu, she would have taken on Manju Rani in the final tomorrow — at stake is a place in the Commonwealth Games squad.

Mary’s longtime coach Chhote Lal said she will undergo an MRI most probably tomorrow to ascertain the extent of the injury.

“She left the stadium in tears. She was in a lot of pain,” Chhote Lal told The Tribune today.

“It is too early to say but there is a knock on the patella of her left knee. There is some swelling and we will take her for an MRI when it subsides,” the coach added.

This setback may not be the end for the six-time world champion, but with her approaching the cut-off age of 40 for competitive boxing — she is 39 now — time is running out fast for the amateur boxer. The International Boxing Association’s rule 1.1.1 stipulates that the men and women boxers between the ages of 19 and 40 are categorised as elite boxers, meaning that it is the age limit in amateur boxing.

Now her last realistic chance of appearing in a multi-sport event would be at next year’s Hangzhou Asian Games. Originally scheduled for this year, the Asiad was postponed to the next year amidst a surge in Covid cases in China.

Nikhat, Lovlina in final

While Mary exited the venue in pain, all the other established stars, including reining world champion Nikhat Zareen and the Olympics bronze medallist Lovlina Borgohain, progressed to the final round of the trials.

While Zareen beat Anamika 7-0 in the 50kg category, Borgohain also blanked statemate Ankushita Boro 7-0 in the 70kg class.

In the final, Zareen faces Minakshi, who got the better of Jyoti Gulia 4-3 in a close contest. Borgohain takes on Pooja in the 70kg final. In the 60kg category final, Parveen meets Jasmine.

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