LONDON, Aug 8:
Indian boxing star M C Mary Kom’s gold medal hopes were dashed when she lost her semifinal bout against a superior British rival to settle for a bronze while Tintu Luka advanced to the semifinals of the women’s 800m race at the Olympic Games, here today.
Mary’s medal took India’s tally to four — one silver and three bronze — which is one more than the country’s haul in the 2008 Games in Beijing where it had a gold medal too through rifle shooter Abhinav Bindra.
“Adams was very clever, a counter puncher, but although she carried power she wasn’t very tactical”, Mary said after losing the 51kg semi final bout 6-11 to no. 2 seed Nicola Adams.
The diminutive Manipuri, however, was happy to end her ring campaign with at least a bronze medal against an opponent who had the home crowd to root for her.
“Women’s boxing has made its debut in the Olympics and I am happy that I could win a bronze medal. I wanted to do better than this, but today I could not beat my opponent who had the advantage of boxing in front of her home crowd. It makes a lot of difference”, said the mother of two twin boys.
“My whole country was hoping for me to win a gold medal, and I am sorry I have not come back with that. Lot of people have prayed for my success and I thank them all. But in sports, you win some and you lose some.
“I did make some mistakes. Mistakes will always happen, other wise I will win all the bouts. I tried my best and gave it all. But I was not lucky enough to win today,” she said after losing to a taller opponent with better reach.
With no box-off in the programme for the losing semi-finalists, Mary got one of the two bronze medals on offer in her weight category.
Earlier, India’s Tintu Luka entered the semifinals of the women’s two-lap race by finishing third in 2 minutes, 1.75 seconds in heat number two.
However, discus thrower Vikas Gowda failed to fetch a medal late last night when he finished 8th after he came up with a below-par performance to finish a disappointing eighth in the final round with a best effort of 64.79m.
I am sorry, couldn’t win gold or silver: Mary Kom
Five-time world champion Mary Kom, who today lost to Nicola Adams of Great Britain 6-11 in the semi-final bout to settle for bronze in the women’s fly 51kg category at the London Olympics 2012 apologised her fans for failing to bring home the gold or silver.
“I am sorry, couldn’t win gold or silver. I know my fans prayed and wished for me. I tried my hardest. Happy got a bronze,” the humble Manipuri told reporters after the match.
Mary, who has been the torch-bearer of women’s boxing for the country was completely out-boxed by the second-seeded Briton in all the four rounds (1-3, 1-2, 2-3, 2-3).
The 29-year-old, who carried into the Olympic semi-finals the weight of an entire nation’s expectations became the maiden Indian women boxer to claim an Olympic medal and increase India’s medal tally to four.
Earlier on Monday, Mary defeated Maroua Rahali of Tunisia to enter the semi-final of women’s 51 kg category.
The diminutive boxer from Manipur increased her weight category from 48kg to 51kg in order for her to be eligible for participation in the prestigious quadrennial event. (UNI)
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