Meeting Mary Kom World Olympic Dreams

them. Now it is time for World a grim -- world LNP dreams. -- world

She has beaten on all odds to become the world's boxing champion.

Not once, but five times. She has struggled to find a balance between

being a sports star and a caring mother. She has smashed

Conservative beliefs that it no Lady would step inside a ring. As

women's boxing is included for the first time in the 2012 Olympics she

is determined to win gold. As an international sports star, Mary Kom

is used to travelling. Today she is in London shopping. It is her first

time in the UK and she is here for an Olympic test event. This is just

a dummy run, but next time it will be for real. She may look like any

other tourist, but the story of how she got here is quite unique. Mary

Kom's homeland Manipur is come far from wealthy. -- is far from

wealthy. Violent insurgency has halted much development. Manipur

has missed out on the economic burn that much of India has recently

enjoyed. -- economic Byrne. -- boom mac. Until recently, tourists were

banned from the state because it was not stable enough. There are

around 30 different insurgency groups operating in and around

Manipur. In the countryside where Mary grew up people eke are taking

from the fields and rivers. -- eke out a living. The work is back-

breaking and relentless. Sweat and pain is part of their daily life.

This old man told us that nothing has changed in the 80 years he has

lived here. There is another fundamental problem, since they

leave just 100 kilometres from the Burmese border. They do not even

look Indian. They look like Chinese or Thai people or Japanese. They

never expected that by an Indian. Mary Kom's boxing success has

brought her fame and relative fortune. Whatever she does these

days, she is styled like a star. But it was not all the case. Her

first coach remembers her as a rather ragged young girl. She came

from a poor family and her clothing was torn. But she used to come here

for a training and she was very puncher well. She worked hard and

the most amazing thing I found about her was her willpower. Not

everybody has that. So one day I thought she would become a world

champion. Mary's determination means that she follows a punishing

training regimes which I have agreed to join for a morning,

somewhat foolishly. I get up at 530 in the morning so I can run first.

In the morning I did two hours. In the evening I go sparring. It was

not just wanting to win which pushed her on. In my family I am

the oldest, so my youngest brothers and sisters are still in my family.

I have to go and do something for my family to get a job or two and

money. -- to make money. Mary's parents are still tenant farmers.

Her father was a best lap and Mary shared her parents' love of sport.

-- her father was a wrestler. Playing football and volleyball.

When she was 15 she made the tough decision to leave her family to

study at the sports academy in the capital. In those days women's

boxing was not officially recognised so Mary Kom and rolled

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as a general athlete. -- end -- was Mari won her first boxing

tournament in the year 2000, just three months after she first

stepped into the ring. She was awarded a cash prize, which she

gave to her parents to try to make their lives easier. When Mary first

announced her dream of becoming a sports star to her parents, they

were terrified they would not be able to help her because they could

not afford the equipment. Now five times world champion, it is Mary

who support them. And she is passing the fighting spirit back

along the line. Mary's father once warned her she would ruin her looks

and not marry if she continued to box. She has proved him wrong. Her

husband is not only her manager, he is her mentor and looks after their

twins. I am very proud of her achievement. I give her time to

practise. It is our duty to make the time free for her to practise.

I am the luckiest man in the world that I have my wife so I will be

doing my best to take care of her and pray for her. As the London

Olympics moves closer Mary is spending more and more time

training away from her family. miss my kids and they miss me.

is difficult to juggle the boxing and the family. Year s, it is very

difficult but I have to do it. -- yes, it is difficult. I have to do

it for my country and I have to fulfil my dreams in the London

Olympics. This is my duty. I want to fulfil my dreams. Then I can

stay with my kids. Once inside the ring the focus is on the fight only.

It is absolutely incredible watching the transformation of Mary

Kom in the ring. She stops being the gentle and motherly figure we

have become familiar with and becomes a tiger. Boxing is a

discipline. When we are not angry, I think it is not a real boxer.

When we get in the ring I think we can win the bout. Mary does a lot

of training with male boxers. She admits it is difficult for her to

punch a woman opponent. When my opening is for the face and it is

cute, I do not want to hit very hard. But it is a game and everyone

wants to be a champion. If you hurt somebody after a fight you win,

maybe your opponent is badly hurt, do you feel bad? Yes, of course.

When I have seen my opponent is getting an injury, it is difficult.

So sometimes they are bleeding or so. So I feel very bad. Very upset.

-- they are bleeding also. We go and say sorry. You apologise after

the bout? Yes. It is a punishing game. Only two boxers getting the

ring. Mary Kom loves her sport, but when she trains she finds herself

listening to one track again and again. I feel lonely. You are the

one and only that makes my dreams come true. Yes, I am lonely in the

ring. Nobody can help me. Even my gods cannot help me. Yes, I am

She has become a local heroine in estate. -- her estate. And in her

old school, she is a living legend. Particularly for the girls. There

is a second Mary Kom. I like to contribute in my state and my

country. I want to contribute to the youngsters. To make a youngster

and Olympic champion. -- and Olympic champion. Mary Kom may

fight with the boys but she does not want to be mistaken for one.

Her femininity is extremely important to her. As a woman I like

ladies' dresses, skirts, frocks, and Indian dresses. I wanted to be

identified as a woman. Do you have to barter in the market as a five-

time world champion? I of course! This is the famous women's market.

Only women are allowed to sell things here. Women have always

played a dominant role in society here. In 1891, when the British

seized this former kingdom, it was women who led the revolt. And today

many of the protest against human rights abuses are led by women.

Perhaps it is not surprising that this small state should produce a

female champion like Mary Kom. And woe betide anyone who teases her

for being a girl in a man's world. For the past five years we have

heard negative things. The boys laugh when they hear that I box.

They think it is funny. But I'll always challenge them when they

laugh. I will show you one day. That is my challenge. After I

became a five-time world champion they were all quiet and respectful.

They do not just respecter, they want to be just like her. Mary

Kom's success has inspired so many boys and girls to take up boxing

that Mary has now opened her own academy for young fighters. The

equipment may not be in top-notch condition but to the children who

come for Mary, -- come to Mary Kom's Academy, this represents a

chance in a lifetime. She started as Academy to help children from

poor backgrounds like her own to have a chance of becoming a world-

class athlete. But it is not for the faint-hearted. Look at these

rules on the wall. 4:30am is time to get up, wash up then studying

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for 2.5 hours, practice for 2.5 (MUSIC) I am giving basic boxing

and physical training, how to punch straight and so on. We do not have

a heavy bag for punching or a mirror for shadow-boxing. But I am

still very happy that my students are very good. This state supplies

India with a disproportionate number of tap -- top athletes. Mary

Kom believes she knows why. Mostly the top athletes come from very

poor backgrounds. I represent this. I come from a poor family. We have

to do more hard work to get to the top, to get the money, to get a

better life. This is my medal room. Fantastic!

Which one are you most proud of? This is the five-time World

Championship medal. Five times world champion, fantastic.

Hopefully there will soon be an Olympic gold next a word. I will

try my best Axa -- My Best! It is not just fade in a row and ability

that keeps Mary Kom going, but her faith in God. Very important. I

pray when I practise, before training, before a bout. When I get

in the ring, I pray for a few seconds. I always remember the

story of David and Goliath. David was a small boy. Chloe it was a big

man. How can David kill Goliath? -- Gaule y yes was a big man. I always

remember, I am also a small. If I pray and do very hard work, I will

win. And even when she is hardly dressed for it, if she sees a ring

or a training session, she just can't resist stepping in. And it is

that dedication, says one of her old coaches, which sets her apart

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Olympic success for Mary Kom would also mean a massive win for a man

apart -- for Manipur. It could Steer at Delhi's focus towards this

poor and troubled state, perhaps bringing in new economic measures

and fresh Bill to end the violence and insurgency here. -- fraiche