India’s boxing hopes were dashed at the 2024 Paris Olympics, as the six-member contingent, including two World Champions and two World Championship medallists, failed to secure a single medal. Despite high expectations, none of the Indian boxers managed to advance beyond the early rounds, marking a disappointing end to their Olympic campaign.
Mary Kom, the trailblazing Indian boxer who became the first Indian woman to win an Olympic boxing medal, was notably absent from this edition due to the age limit rule that bars athletes over 40 from participating in Olympic boxing.
The 41-year-old, who won bronze in the 2012 London Olympics, expressed her frustration over India’s performance at the Games.
In a candid statement during her address at the second edition of the Indian Gaming Convention (IGC), Mary Kom said, “I felt bad from the inside, there was no progress. The Paris Olympics was disappointing, all the boxers were washed out. I could not digest their performance and just kept thinking, ‘agar mai jaati to’ (If I was there instead).”
Reflecting on the current state of Indian boxing, Kom added, “I am still training, still concerned about my fitness. I am confident that still no one could touch me for one or two rounds. That is the spirit. The current boxers don’t have confidence and you could see it.”
Kom’s emotional remarks highlight her frustration with the lackluster performance and her enduring desire to compete, despite being ineligible due to the age restriction. “I still have that hunger, my dream and Olympic goal is still aching,” she said, emphasizing her dissatisfaction with the age limit applied only to boxing.
India has had a sporadic history of success in Olympic boxing, starting with Vijender Singh’s historic bronze medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Mary Kom herself added to this legacy with her bronze in London 2012.
After a medal drought at the 2016 Rio Olympics, Lovlina Borgohain’s bronze at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics reignited hopes, but the 2024 Games saw the Indian contingent falter once again.
As India looks to build on its boxing legacy, Mary Kom’s passionate reflections may serve as a reminder that while age may limit participation, the hunger for excellence should never wane. The country’s challenge now is to develop a new generation of confident boxers capable of achieving Olympic success.
