Pakistan’s First Female CWG Boxing Medallist Fatima Zahra Inspired By Mary Kom
Pakistan’s First Female CWG Boxing Medallist Fatima Zahra Inspired By Mary Kom Published By, Last Updated: August 01, 2026, 20:29 IST Fatima Zahra, Pakistan's first
Pakistan’s First Female CWG Boxing Medallist Fatima Zahra Inspired By Mary Kom Published By, Last Updated: August 01, 2026, 20:29 IST Fatima Zahra, Pakistan's first female CWG boxing medalist, finds inspiration in Indian boxing legend Mary Kom, aiming to be a trailblazer. Rapid Read Mary Kom punches a bag during a training session for the 2012 London Olympics at the Balewadi Sports Complex in Pune (Picture credit: AFP) Star Pakistani boxer Fatima Zahra has said that she is inspired by London Olympics bronze medallist Mary Kom, adding that she has a lot of respect for her Indian counterpart and wants to become a trailblazer like her someday. Fatima created history in Glasgow by winning bronze in the women’s 60kg category, becoming the first Pakistani woman boxer to claim a CWG medal.
Growing up in Sargodha, in Pakistan’s Punjab province, Fatima had few female boxing role models in her own nation. Instead, she found inspiration across the border in Indian boxing legend Mary Kom. “I am inspired by India’s Mary Kom. I used to watch the film made on her life. When I started boxing, I used to watch that movie and train. I have a lot of respect for her and inshallah one day I will become like her," Fatima said while speaking to PTI. “I hope I can meet her. My background isn’t that strong. My basic coach taught me everything. My family was against boxing. They wouldn’t let me go for training, but I fought with them and continued training," Fatima added.
For the Pakistani boxer, it wasn’t just Mary Kom’s accomplishments but also the journey behind them that inspired her. Born into a humble farming family in rural Manipur, Mary Kom battled financial struggles, social barriers and a lack of resources before rising to become one of boxing’s greatest icons. Mary Kom took up boxing in her early years, juggling training with farm work before going on to become a si time world champion, an Olympic bronze medallist and a winner of gold medals at the Asian Games and CWG, along with five Asian Championships titles. The 2014 Bollywood biopic on Mary Kom’s life left a lasting impact on a 10-year-old Fatima, inspiring her boxing journey.
News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: August 01, 2026, 20:14 IST News sports other-sports Pakistan’s First Female CWG Boxing Medallist Fatima Zahra Inspired By Mary Kom Disclaimer: Comments reflect users’ views, not News18’s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments...
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