Will not give up until I win gold at Olympics: Mary Kom

Six-time World Champion Mary Kom on Wednesday reiterated that her dream is to win a gold medal for India at the Olympics and for that she will try her level best and keep fighting until she achieves her goal.

The ace Indian boxer had won bronze at the 2012 London Olympic Games in the 51-kg weight category. In 2016, she was unable to qualify for the Rio Games.

However, last month, she secured her second appearance at the mega quadrennial Games in the Asian/Oceania Olympic Qualifiers, held in Jordan, for the Tokyo Games which have been postponed until next year due to coronavirus pandemic.

"My focus is to win gold for India at the Olympic Games. I have been trying really hard even at this age. It was very difficult for me to qualify for the Olympics in the first place which have been postponed until next year," Mary Kom said in a Facebook Live Session for the Sports Authority of India (SAI).

"There's no secret mantra for me to achieve at the World Championships or the Olympics. I will keep fighting and will not give up until I win the gold for India at the Olympics," she added.

Ever since returning from Amman, Mary Kom has been at home amid the nationwide-lockdown imposed by the government.

However, she has been trying to keep herself fit and remains focused to win gold at the Tokyo Games which will be held from July 23 to August 9, 2021.

"Even though I am in quarantine, I am continuing with my preparations even at home. I am trying to stay fit as much as I can so that I can achieve my target. Sometimes it becomes difficult at home, but I do enjoy my time with my family," she said.

"I need blessings and love of the entire nation to fulfil my dream," she added.

The 37-year-old also urged people to stay indoors and adhere to the guidelines of the government in order to win the battle against coronavirus pandemic.

"We were not expecting this pandemic to hit us but now that it's there, we have to make sure we adhere to the guidelines of the government. The best and the only way to help the government and the medical staff to stop the spread of coronavirus is by staying at home," she said.

"I know it's difficult but that's the need of the hour. We need to follow the instructions of the government for our own benefit."

The Rajya Sabha MP recently donated her one-month salary to Prime Minister's National Relief Fund set up to battle COVID-19. Besides, she also released Rs 1 crore from her MP Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) Fund towards the relief efforts amid the coronavirus pandemic.