The legacy of Indian boxing legend MC Mary Kom lives on beyond borders and shapes athletes far beyond her home country. That global impact is reflected in the story of Fatima Zahra who is Pakistan’s first female Commonwealth Games medallist, winning a bronze medal in the women’s 60 kg division at the international multi-sport event. The 22-year-old earned her name in the history books for women’s boxing in her country.
Fatima grew up in Sargodha, in Pakistan’s Punjab province, and there were very few local female boxing pioneers to look up to. The only person of inspiration she could find in her local area was the six-time world champion Mary Kom. The parallel struggles of both athletes gave a direct and immediate connection. Mary Kom was born in a humble farming family in rural Manipur and had to contend with financial difficulties, institutional resistance, and a scarcity of resources to get to the top of world boxing, winning an Olympic bronze medal and numerous national championships.
As a young Fatima (she was only ten years old at the time), the biographical film Mary Kom was her first love story and a film which she really wanted to see. It’s why she watched the movie many times to keep it on board as she was training. Fatima and her family, she said, always had such fond memories of the Indian icon and the movie inspired her to work hard to achieve that same level of greatness and really wanted to meet her idol.
Fatima’s path to the podium was as tough as Mary Kom’s at first as well. At first, her family opposed her decision to take up combat sports and sought to keep her away from training. But Fatima refused to submit and did battle against it to continue to pursue her love of the sport. In time, those initial reservations became pride and solidarity from her family who now see her fight day in and day out.
Fatima hopes that by making her mark on the international stage, she can create a cultural shift that would help young women in Pakistan to rise up and take part in sports. She reminds us that she started just like any other girl, and she wants to encourage others to break down stereotypes, step out of the shadows, and do better with sports.
