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‘How and why’: Disappointed Mary Kom questions decision after bowing out of World Championships
After the bout, India protested the decision, and appealed to take another look at the bout. But the decision was turned down and Mary Kom’s campaign ended with a bronze medal.
Boxer Mary Kom bowed out of World Championships 2019 after losing her 51kg semifinal bout against Turkey’s European Champion Busenaz Cakiroglu via a split verdict 1:4 at Ulan-Ude, in Russia, on Saturday. This is the eight Worlds medal for the Indian pugilist, as she adds a bronze medal to her previous tally of six gold and a silver. After the bout, India protested the decision, and appealed to take another look at the bout. But the decision was turned down and Mary Kom’s campaign ended with a bronze medal.
A disappointed Mary Kom took to Twitter to question the referee. Tagging Union Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju and Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi, Mary Kom wrote: “How and why. Let the world know how much right and wrong the decision is...”
The Manipuri, in terms of number of medals won, has become numero uno across both the men’s and women’s world championships. Cuban icon Felix Savon is the most successful in the men’s event with seven medals -- six gold and a silver.
During the fight, both the boxers seemed hesitant to make the first move in the opening round but Mary Kom had the edge in counter-attacks as Cakiroglu struggled to make her height advantage count.
The second round followed a similar pattern as far as the tactics went but Cakiroglu seemed the sharper of the two. In the final three minutes, both the boxers upped the ante but Cakiroglu became the dominant aggressor eventually.
(With agency inputs)
