The magnificent Mary Kom is knocked out fighting in the Olympic pre-quarters.

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Thursday, 29th July 2021

Six-time world champion M C Mary Kom's (51kg) bid for a second Olympic medal came to an end in the pre-quarterfinals of the Tokyo Games on Thursday, when she was defeated by bronze medalist Ingrit Valencia in a hard-fought match. The 38-year-old legend, a multiple-time Asian champion and a bronze medalist at the 2012 London Olympics, lost 2-3 to the Colombian despite giving it her all in what would now be her final Olympic match. When the referee raised Valencia's hand at the end of the bout, exhausted from the intense clash, Mary Kom had tears in her eyes and a wide smile on her face.

The way Valencia rushed in when the first bell rang, it was clear that the bout would be high-octane, and that's exactly what it was.

The two were attacking each other from the start, and Valencia took the lead when she won the first round 4-1.

The Manipuri veteran fought back to win the second and third rounds by 2-3 margins, but Valencia's slender advantage in the first round tipped the scales in her favour.

In both the second and third rounds, the Indian landed her right hooks flawlessly.

The Indian had previously defeated Valencia in the 2019 world championship quarterfinals, marking the Colombian's first career victory over the legend.

Valencia, 32, is a trailblazer for her country, much like Mary Kom.

She is Colombia's first female boxer to compete in the Olympic Games, as well as the country's first female boxer to win an Olympic medal.

The News Talkie Bureau

Source

NDTV