lady of the ring: Mary Kom

Imphal, Nov. 4: After the success of its sportspersons in the just-concluded Afro-Asian Games, Manipur has one more reason to rejoice.

World champion M.C. Mary Kom, L. Sarita Devi and N. Asharani, all from the state, have been selected to represent India in the second Asian Women’s Boxing Championship, to be held at Hissar in Haryana from November 19 to 22.

Kom, who had a successful stint in Italy recently, will compete in the 46-kg category. The other two will vie for top hono-urs in the 54-kg and 60-kg groups.

The Indian Amateur Boxing Federation (IABF) selected the three Manipur pugilists after an evaluation of their physical condition during the final phase of the national coaching camp, which began on October 3 in New Delhi.

L. Kishan, one of the five coaches of the national team, is from Manipur, too.

Sarita Devi and Asharani had initially said they would not participate in the final phase of coaching in a show of solidarity with five other boxers who were suspended for three years by the Manipur Amateur Boxing Association on charges of deserting the national camp.

The IABF had provisionally selected eight Manipur boxers for the national coaching camp. However, except for Kom, the boxers deserted the camp on August 10 in protest against “ill-treatment” and use of “abusive language” by chief coach Anup Kumar.

All eight boxers are products of the Sports Authority of India’s regional centre in the Manipur capital and have been coached by Ojah Ibomcha.