They are pioneers of girls’s boxing who made a mark when the game used to be taking child steps. Two of them – MC Mary Kom and Sarita Devi – are family names however KC Lekha and RL Jenny are hardly discussed. All the 4 gained gold when India hosted the arena championships for the primary time right here in 2006, six years sooner than girls’s boxing made its Olympic debut in London.
Mary Kom had risen swiftly, profitable gold in 2002 and 2005 and India used to be staging the fourth version. The hosts gained 4 gold, one silver and 3 bronze, and it used to be the most productive commercial for ladies’s boxing in India. Indian boxers have not regarded again since. Mary Kom gained bronze within the London Olympics and Lovlina Borgohain bronze at Tokyo in 2021.
As the most recent championships is on, the pioneers of 2006 glance again on their early days. For Lekha, 41, and Jenny, 39, a central authority task and circle of relatives took priority whilst Mary Kom, 40, continues to be now not formally retired.
“It feels great to see women’s boxing in India doing so well,” says Jenny, who’s a police officer in Mizoram. “We are proud we contributed to the success of the sport.”
Jenny (63kg) and Lekha (75kg and +81kg) are nine-time nationwide champions and medalists within the Asian Championships.
“We had such passion and hunger to win medals for the country. Family, friends, everything took a backseat. There were few facilities at camps, but we never complained,” says Lekha, an officer within the Kerala finance division primarily based in Thiruvananthapuram.
Lekha recollects how the Indian squad scrambled to achieve the primary worlds in Scranton, United States. “We idea we will not be able to compete. There used to be an issue in getting visa. We were given it very overdue and rushed to the airport. After a 24-hour flight we reached simply hours sooner than the beginning of the championships. From the airport, we went instantly to the sector. I had my bout so simply became my equipment and there I used to be competing within the first global championships. I misplaced to a Canadian boxer through simply two issues; she went directly to win a medal.
Mary Kom opened the account for India, profitable silver in 45kg. “The drive, the hunger we had in those days was something different,” says the six-time global champion. “It’s like ‘once I’m in the ring, I have to win at any cost’.”
When India hosted, the younger brigade used to be made up our minds to make it a luck. Lekha misplaced many pounds to go into 75kg since the coaches felt she stood a greater medal probability. “I used to be in superheavy because I was around 89kg… We would train three times a day. The only thing in my mind was a world medal,” says Lekha.
“When the 4 folks changed into global champions on the Talkatora Stadium, it used to be one of these nice feeling. There used to be excellent crowd fortify, however no one knew that India had 4 global champions. There used to be no social media like as of late. But we have been so glad.
Jenny too recollects that crowning second.
“Women’s boxing was not in the Olympics, so becoming world champion was the biggest achievement. Seeing my name, and the Indian flag being raised, was so emotional,” says Jenny. “We had seen tough times. We didn’t even have enough punching bags to train. Our camps would be in Delhi, Bengaluru, Patiala. We used to clean the place, put up a ring and train. At some centers there was no gym, so coaches would arrange weights. But all of us, coaches and boxers, were like one big family. So many times there were issues in selection, or only a few weight categories got permission for internationals, but we stood by each other.”
A nighttime run
They weren’t averse to taking at the directors regardless that. Lekha recollects how she, Mary Kom and Sarita left a camp in Hissar, Haryana in the dark since the amenities have been dangerous. “It used to be a camp for the Asian Championships. It used to be highly regarded and group used to be so dangerous; there used to be no water. So, we left the camp and got here to Delhi in the midst of the night time. The federation officers known as the following morning, spoke to us and shifted the camp to Patiala,” says Lekha.
The fascinating factor used to be boxing simply took place to them. Lekha used to be into athletics in class and school. When Chennai hosted the primary girls’s nationwide championships, she attended a one-day camp and used to be decided on within the Kerala state staff.
“Women’s boxing used to be beginning within the nation and the state used to be searching for boxers. Someone requested me if I used to be . I did not know the principles, simply had energy and used to be sturdy. I had performed many sports activities in class and that helped.”
Lekha gained gold for Kerala and very quickly used to be within the nationwide camp making ready for the primary worlds in the USA.
Jenny grew up enjoying touch game, making issues more uncomplicated. “Contact sport is part of our culture and we had some good boxers in Mizoram, so I learned faster.”
Lekha and Jenny remorseful about now not going to the Olympics.
“In 2012, I was expecting my first child,” says Lekha. The Chinese woman (Jinzi Li) who gained the middleweight bronze in London, I beat her within the ultimate of the 2006 global championships.”
Jenny retired from the game six years in the past. “There were few weight categories in the Olympics at that time and it was very difficult for me.”
But the boxing bond is beloved.
“We’ve had some superb reminiscences. So, each time we meet – Mary, Sarita, Lekha – we talk for hours. It does not topic if we would not have months.” says Jenny.