The 41-year-old claimed she hasn’t made an official announcement about quitting yet, despite having already passed the age limit to compete on the amateur circuit. Six-time world boxing champion and Olympic bronze medalist M.C. On Thursday, Mary Kom denied rumors that she had declared her retirement. The 41-year-old claimed she still hasn’t made an official announcement about quitting the amateur circuit, despite the fact that she is already too old to compete there. I have been misquoted, and I have not yet announced my retirement. Whenever I want to make an announcement, I will personally appear in front of the media. The boxer competing in the flyweight (51 kg) class from Manipuri claimed in a statement that he had seen media reports claiming that he had announced his retirement. That is untrue.
She was cited in previous reports as saying that she was forced to retire because amateur boxers must be 40 years of age or older. On January 24, 2024, while I was inspiring kids at a school in Dibrugarh, Assam, I remarked, “I still have the desire to succeed in sports, but the age limit in the Olympics prevents me from competing, but I can still pursue my sport,” to which the girl responded.
I’m still working hard to stay in shape, and I’ll let everyone know when I make my retirement official. Please fix this, she continued.
Since her pre-quarterfinal loss at the Tokyo Olympics, which marked her final appearance at the quadrennial showpiece, Mary Kom has not been seen in action. Since then, a lot of speculation has surrounded her future because she hasn’t jumped into a field where there is no age limit. Six Asian titles and six world gold medals later, she is without a doubt one of the most adorned Indian athletes of all time. In addition to being a Rajya Sabha MP, the mother of four is a Khel Ratna recipient.
In 2020, she received the Padma Vibhushan, the second-highest civilian honor in the nation. Mangte Chungneijang Mary Kom, a 2012 Olympic medalist and six-time world champion, announced her withdrawal from boxing on Wednesday. Mary Kom hung up her boxing gloves because, according to IBA regulations, boxers of both sexes are not permitted to compete at the elite level until they are 40 years old. Mary, 41, acknowledged during an event that she still has the desire to compete at the highest level but that the age restriction must put an end to her career.
She stunned everyone with her almost flawless boxing technique and advanced to the 48 kg category final. Although she didn’t get success in the end, still she left a legacy of her future achievements. She went on to become the first Indian woman to win a gold medal at the AIBA Women’s World Boxing Tournament in the ensuing years.
