Sports Minister M S Gill on Sunday congratulated Indian woman boxer MC Mary Kom for winning an unprecedented fifth successive gold medal at the World Championships, calling her an "exceptional talent".
"I am delighted that Mary Kom has won the World Championship title for the fifth time in a row. She has an exceptional record. Manipur has great sports talent and Mary Kom is the best. I congratulate her," Gill said in his message.
The 27-year-old Mary Kom clinched a fifth successive World Championship gold last night when she beat Romania's Steluta Duta in the fly weight 48kg finals in Barbados.
She is the only boxer to have won a medal in each one of the six World Championships, starting with a silver in the inaugural 2001 edition.