M C Mary Kom today became the first Indian woman boxer to clinch a gold medal in the Asian Games as India added three more medals to maintain their 10th position in the overall standings on the 11th day of competitions here today.
While the seasoned Mary Kom grabbed the limelight with a spectacular performance in the ring, middle-distance runner Tintu Luka fetched a silver and the women's hockey team earned a bronze on a relatively quiet day for the Indians.
Five-time world champion and Olympic bronze-medallist Mary Kom was the undisputed star of the day as she beat Kazakhstan's Zhaina Shekerbekova 2-0 to improve on the bronze medal she won in the previous edition of the Games, where women boxers made their debut.
Luka clocked her season's best to win a silver in the 800m race, while the women's hockey team defeated Japan 2-1 in the play-off.
With three more medals, India hung on to the 10th spot in the standings, their tally at 49 (seven gold, nine silver and 33 bronze). China continued to rule the roost with a haul of 285 medals, followed by Korea (183) and Japan (154).
Mary Kom, christened 'Magnificent Mary' by the International Boxing Association, trailed her rival in the battle of two left-handed boxers in the first round with three ringside judges being swayed towards her rival's way at the Seonhak boxing gymnasium.
But an undeterred Mary stormed her way back by edging past her rival in round two and then dominated the Kazakh in the last two rounds after one of the judge's score tied the two at 38-38.
After the close first two rounds, Mary started landing good blows on her rival's face and even body. A solid right hook followed by a left in the third shook the Kazakh pugilist.
