CWG 2018 | 35-year-old Mary Kom wins her first Commonwealth Games gold medal
Indian pugilist Mary Kom has defeated Northern Ireland’s Kristina O’ Hara by a unanimous decision in the Women’s 45-48kg final bout to win her first CWG gold and hand India its 18th in Gold Coast. This takes India’s medal tally to 43, which comprises 14 bronze medals and 11 silver medals.
O’Hara definitely had a few inches on Mary Kom and her advantage was felt in the first round, where despite Mary’s successful attempts at connecting her, the Indian had to be at the receiving end of some fierce blows. Four of the judges, however, awarded Mary Kom the round by a slender 10-9 margin.
However, it was the second round that pretty much sealed the bout. The 35-year-old used all her experience to put the outcome beyond doubt. She landed punches almost at will and with tremendous speed, one of which even shook the Irish pugilist’s skull to the core. Though Mary's offensive approach meant that she had to be at the receiving end as well, her punches outscored her opponent by a mile.
The final round was a do-or-die for O’Hara, who was well aware that the previous one outdid her by a big margin. Her ultra offensive approach was clearly seen, but Mary Kom turned O’Hara’s lack of
This is surprisingly Kom’s first Commonwealth medal and that too a gold, but after the disappointments at Rio, it would serve as a big encouragement for her.
