Grit, determination and her challenging zeal put M.C. Mary Kom where she is today.

I have groomed and coached many women boxers but Mary Kom is slightly different from the rest as she is the one who can turn negative remark to positive energy to enhance her performance.

Women boxers arrived in Manipur in 1998 from a district-level coaching programme held in Imphal West with . Geeta Chanu, Lilabati Devi and others attending the programme.

The first time I met Mary Kom was in 2000, not in a boxing discipline but in athletics. She used to train at SAI RC Takyelpat complex under athletics coach K. Kosana Meitei. The latter referred Mary Kom to me to be trained as a boxer.

Kosana also approached me to give a chance but initially I had reservations about her prospects. I taunted Mary that she had a short stature and lean body. She was not enlisted as a regular SAI inmate and had to come down from her village at Kangeithel in Churachandpur.

But she persisted and I had asked her to stay in Imphal to adjust to the training timing schedule and she stayed with a relative.

Mary Kom was finally enlisted as SAI inmate in 2001 and began her training schedule. Just one year later, she and L. Sarita Devi participated in the World Championship held in Istanbul, Turkey, and she won a bronze medal. The rest is history.

Regarding her commitment to boxing, she has extraordinary dedication and a very challenging spirit and once she vows to do something she does it.

Mary Kom is very religious too; she believes in god and no one can disturb her during her prayers. She also wears a cross-adorned boxing gown whenever she fights in national championships.

Though many had almost written her off from boxing after she got married in 2005, she made many of her critics eat their words when she bounced back strongly to her chosen game.

The boxing scenario had taken a great leap since Dingko Singh claimed a gold in the Asian Games and the momentum crept up steadily for the better. I am very optimistic of a smooth progress of boxing in the state.

Mary Kom, as I have learnt, has decided to hang up her gloves after the London Olympics. She will be 31 in the next Olympic Games and I think that she has made the right decision.

The writer is SAI SAG boxing coach and Dronacharya awardee