MC Mary Kom Achieves Another BIG Honour, Named Best Asian Athlete

MC Mary Kom has plenty of honours to her name. She is the only women athlete in history to have won six world boxing championships and she has won the gold in the Asian and Commonwealth Games event. Recently, Mary Kom achieved yet another big honour as she was named the Best Female Asian Athlete in the Awards for Asia’ ceremony organised by Asian Sportswriters Union (AIPS Asia) in Malaysia. AIPS Asia, an organization representing Asian sportswriters since 1978, was holding this award ceremony for the first time this year to honour Asian athletes who have excelled at the highest level.

Mary Kom had defeated Ukraine's Hanna Okhota 5-0 to clinch the Women's World Boxing Championship to make her the most successful athlete in women's boxing in history. The 35-year-old boxer had secured the gold medal the last time it was held in New Delhi in 2006 and she shattered history to become the all-time leading gold medal winner in the World Boxing Championship. With this win, Mary Kom became the only female boxer in history to win six gold medals in the World Boxing Championship. When one looks at both men and women's boxing, Mary Kom has drawn level with Cuban boxer Felix Savon.

The Qatar Football team was voted as the best team in Asia as they won the AFC tournament for the first time. Qatar stunned Japan 3-1 to win their first Asian Cup sparked by a moment of magic from record-breaker Almoez Ali and after nail-biting late drama. Sudan-born striker Ali scored with an acrobatic bicycle kick after just 12 minutes before Abdelaziz Hatim curled in a superb second and Akram Afif converted a VAR-assisted penalty to give the 2022 World Cup hosts a famous victory in Abu Dhabi. 

Inaugural AIPS Asia award won by Korea, India, Japan and Qatar. @sattamalsahli @Selangor2019 pic.twitter.com/ly53TSGj1A

— AIPS ASIA (@AipsAsia) August 27, 2019

Qatar survived a scare at 2-0 when Takumi Minamino pulled one back on 69 minutes, only for Uzbek referee Ravshan Irmatov to award the Maroons a penalty on review for a handball by Japan captain Maya Yoshida. Ali became the first player to score nine goals at a single Asian Cup after only being cleared to play just hours before kickoff following a UAE protest over his eligibility. 

Apart from Qatar, the Japan women’s football team have been named as the best team. South Korea footballer Son Heung-Min have been named the Best Asian Female and Male Athletes. Son currently plays for Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League.

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HIGHLIGHTS

• MC Mary Kom has won six world boxing championship gold medals.
• Son Heung-Min currently plays for Tottenham Hotspur.
• Qatar won the AFC Asian Cup for the first time by defeating Japan.