Magnificent Mary: on making history at World Boxing Championships
With a sixth World Championship gold, Kom affirms her place as one the greatest boxers
M.C. Mary Kom enhanced(बढ़ाया/सराहना) her already legendary(प्रसिद्ध/महान ) status when she defeated(पराजित/हराया हुआ)Ukraine’s Hanna Okhota in the 48 kg segment(भाग) of the Women’s World Boxing Championship in Delhi on Saturday. It was her sixth gold across World Championships, drawing her level with Félix Savón, the Cuban great who ruled amateur(शौक़ीन)boxing in the 1980s and 1990s. Kom has always defied(चुनौती देना/ललकारना) the odds(बाधाओं/सुअवसर). She has busted gender stereo types, and overcome the odds posed by the lack(कमी) of resources(संसाधनों) and poor infrastructure that hold back so much athletic talent(प्रतिभा) in India. In doing so, she firmed(अंतिम रूप) up Manipur’s place on India’s talent map, brought India on the world boxing landscape, and reinforced women’s sport by winning consistently with exceptional determination(दृढ़ निश्चय/निर्धारण) and grace(अनुग्रह). Kom, who is now 35 and a mother of three, has had a good 2018, winning her maiden Commonwealth Games gold medal earlier this year. She extended(विस्तृत/प्रसारित) that form in Delhi and cemented her place in the history of the World Championships with an overall haul of seven medals, including(समेत/सहित) a silver on debut in 2001. A bronze medallist at the 2012 London Olympics, Kom said that the latest of her six world titles, secured after a gap of eight years, was the toughest of them all. It has come at a time when the competition has risenmanifold(अनेक) following the inclusion(समावेश/अन्तर्भाव) of women’s boxing as an event in the Olympics in 2012. Kom, who got past other strong opponents(प्रतियोगी) before clinching (हासिल)the bout(मुकाबला) against(विरुद्ध/खिलाफ) Okhota, also had to bear the additional(अतिरिक्त) pressure of the expectations(उम्मीदों/अपेक्षा) of home crowds.
Mary Kom makes history at World Boxing Championships
In the event, the victory has fuelled further expectations from this late-career burst(तीव्रता से प्रवेश करना/विस्फोट). Kom will switch to the 51 kg weight class in the pursuit(लक्ष्य/पीछा) of a medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. As a Rajya Sabha member of Parliament and idol for many upcoming women boxers, she has a full schedule, and will be aware(अवगत/जागरूक) that it will take all she has to fight with younger and stronger rivals(प्रतिद्वंद्वियों) in a higher weight category. Hailed as ‘Magnificent Mary’ by the International Boxing Association, which has chosen her as its representative(प्रतिनिधि) in the International Olympic Committee athletes’ forum, Kom has been an inspiration(प्रेरणा स्त्रोत) globally. Her rise from a humble(नम्र) background to be an international role model has inspired a book and a Hindi movie chronicling(वर्णन करना) her life. Raffaele Bergamasco, the India coach, sums up Kom’s legend with these words, “Mary in boxing is like Maradona in football.” The gendercomparison(तुलना/मिलान) is crucial(महत्वपूर्ण/निर्णायक) too — at a time when the women’s competition at diverse(विविध )levels and different sporting events is being sought to be placed on a par with the men’s, in terms of infrastructural support andremuneration(प्रतिफल/पुरस्कार), Mary Kom’s record will indeed give heart to all women athletes.
Important Vocabulary
1.Enhanced(बढ़ाया/सराहना)
Synonyms: add to, appreciate, augment, boost, build up
Antonyms: decrease, diminish, discourage, hurt, lessen
2.Legendary(प्रसिद्ध/महान )
Synonyms: fabled, fabulous, mythical, storied, allegorical
Antonyms: factual, infamous, real, true, unimportant
3.Defeated(पराजित/हराया हुआ)
Synonyms: conquered, crushed, overcome
4. Amateur(शौक़ीन
Synonyms: apprentice, aspirant, beginner, dabbler
Antonyms: expert, professional
5.Inclusion(समावेश/अन्तर्भाव)
Synonyms: admittance, formation, incorporation, involvement, composition
Antonyms: exclusion, subtraction
6.Opponents(प्रतियोगी)
Synonyms: adversary, aspirant, candidate, challenger, competitor
Antonyms: ally, assistant, friend, helper, associate
7.Firmed(अंतिम रूप)
Synonyms: cement, crystallize, stiffen, strengthen, amalgamate
Antonyms: dilute, dissolve, divide, liquefy, melt
8.Determination(दृढ़ निश्चय/निर्धारण)
Synonyms: assurance, boldness, bravery, conviction, courage
Antonyms: cowardice, diffidence, fear, idleness, indecision
9.Bout(मुकाबला)
Synonyms: round, session, spell, tour, course
Antonyms: stagnation
10.Clinching (हासिल)
Synonyms: assure, cap, conclude, decide, seal
Antonyms: delay, put off, disprove, invalidate, let go
11.Pursuit(लक्ष्य/पीछा)
Synonyms: hunt, inquiry, quest, following, hunting
Antonyms: retreat, surrender
12. Aware(अवगत/जागरूक)
Synonyms: alive, appreciative, apprehensive, attentive, awake
Antonyms: heedless, ignorant, inattentive, neglectful
13.Crucial(महत्वपूर्ण/निर्णायक)
Synonyms: central, compelling, deciding, decisive, essential
Antonyms: inessential, insignificant, minor, optional, secondary
14.Inspiration(प्रेरणा स्त्रोत)
Synonyms: encouragement, enthusiasm, genius, incentive, influence
Antonyms: discouragement, depression, hindrance, reality, truth
15.Chronicling(वर्णन करना
Synonyms: narrate, relate, enter, record, register
Antonyms: conceal, hide, erase, secret
16.Diverse(विविध )
Synonyms: differing, disparate, distinct, divergent, diversified
Antonyms: like, same, similar, alike, conforming
17.Remuneration(प्रतिफल/पुरस्कार),
Synonyms: compensation, commission, pay, reimbursement, reward
