Stat of the day
Not Mary Kom, but Sarita Devi is India's most successful boxer at Asian Championships
While Mary Kom has won a total of seven medals at the Asian Championships, her state-mate Laishram Sarita Devi just ekes her out with a total of eight medals.
The Women's section of ASBC Asian Boxing Championships 2021 drew to a close yesterday with the women from India clinching a total of ten medals. The podium saw Pooja Rani (75kg) with the yellow metal, while Lalbuatsaihi (64kg), Anupama (81+kg), and the legendary Mary Kom (51kg) bagged a silver each with others combining to clinch six bronze medals.
Up against Nazym Kyzaibay of Kazakhstan, the 38-year-old Kom suffered a 2-3 defeat on a spilt decision to settle for a silver medal – her seventh medal at the Asian Championships.
An Olympic bronze medallist from the 2012 London Games, Mary Kom is undoubtedly the greatest pugilist to have represented India. A total of eight World Championship medals, including six gold, is a great testament to her prowess inside the ring.
But, what if we tell you that the greatest boxer ever to have emerged out of India is not the most successful boxer from the country at the Asian Championships? Nuts, right? But that is exactly what numbers prove.
While Mary Kom has, so far, won a total of seven medals at the Asian Championships, her state-mate Laishram Sarita Devi just ekes her out with a total of eight medals at Asian Championships.
| Mary Kom's Medal Tally at Asian Championships | |
| Medal | Year |
| Gold | 2003 |
| Gold | 2005 |
| Silver | 2008 |
| Gold | 2010 |
| Gold | 2012 |
| Gold | 2017 |
| Silver | 2021 |
| Laishram Sarita Devi's Medal Tally at Asian Championships | |
| Medal | Year |
| Silver | 2001 |
| Gold | 2003 |
| Gold | 2005 |
| Gold | 2008 |
| Gold | 2010 |
| Gold | 2012 |
| Bronze | 2017 |
| Bronze | 2019 |
As can be concluded from the table, both, Mary Kom and Sarita Devi's medal tally at the Asian Championships is quite impressive. While both of them have five gold medals apiece, Kom has two silvers to Sarita Devi's two bronze and a solitary silver medal.
The duo of Kom and Sarita share a lot in common, right from their rise to the top to their never-say-die attitude once inside the ring. While one may quite easily proclaim Mary Kom to be the greatest ever boxer from India, one should never set aside the achievements and contributions of Sarita Devi for boxing in India.
