Khadija Mardi: The Moroccan star in the form of her life, inspiring the next generation of boxing mums
The 32-year-old world champion, who recently secured a quota for Paris 2024, is one of the most exciting African female boxers despite giving birth to three daughters.
Khadija El-Mardi discovered boxing as a young girl.
She wanted to be able to protect herself, but has since used the skills learnt to become a leading light in African women's boxing.
After making history as the first Arab and African woman to win a boxing world title, the Moroccan says her goal now is to become an Olympic medallist at Paris 2024.
Mardi secured a quota spot for what would be her third Olympic Games by beating Kenyan champion Elizabeth Andiego at September’s Africa Boxing Qualifiers in Dakar, another career high for the inspiration boxing figure.
She missed the Tokyo 2020 Olympics in 2021 in order to give birth to her third child, but didn’t let motherhood slow her down.
“I am a wife, I am a mother, I am an athlete,” she says proudly in an interview with Olympics.com.
“I am a fighter and to be able to combine all of these skills you have to be strong and make a lot of sacrifices.”
Khadija Mardi lands a punch on Mozambique's Rady Gramane in their quarter final bout at the Africa Boxing Qualifiers at the Dakar Arena.
World champion and mother-of-three continues to prove you can do it all
Reaching the quarter-finals of the women’s 75kg at the Rio 2016 Olympics was a career milestone for Mardi.
That Olympic experience and success fuelled her passion.
The 32-year-old had a steady rise in her career, easily qualifying for the Tokyo Olympics, which she missed following the birth of her third daughter.
“It is not easy to manage my life as a woman and as an athlete,” offered Mardi, an easy conversationalist with a warm and bubbly personality when talking to Olympics.com.
“But my girls are my biggest inspiration and every time I am fighting it's for them. I know that I am inspiring them to keep chasing their goals, as my mother supported me to achieve my boxing dreams.”
It is a tall order dominating over opponents in the ring and juggling parenting.
But the towering 1.83m (6ft) tall puncher constantly rises above any challenges, and continues to prove that having children doesn’t have to alter the path to sporting success.
Khadija Mardi at the Africa Boxing Qualifiers at the Dakar Arena.
Mardi's breaking point that continues to power her in the ring
Mardi's own mother played a key role in her journey.
At school, young Khadija was being picked on by bullies and decided to turn to a combat sport to defend herself.
But her parents were reluctant, especially her father, who was also a keen boxer.
“I started training secretly from my father. I told only my mum and asked her not to let my father know. However, one day he followed me to the club and revealed everything, asking why I was lying. I told him to let me carry on, I loved this sport. By chance, I had my first fight the next day, and we agreed that if I won, I could continue with boxing, and if I lost, I would stop,” she said in an interview.
That win marked the beginning of the brightest female boxing career in Africa.
Like most athletes, her first major tournament, the Mohammed VI International Cup in 2014 in Marrakech, has stuck in her mind, but for tragic reasons.
Mardi's mother was in the arena cheering her, but suffered a heart attack and died while she was being rushed to hospital.
The next few months, years, were particularly challenging for the boxer, with the tragic loss of her number one supporter - but her memory keeps powering Mardi through her sport journey.
“This was the hardest, toughest, most difficult moment of my life, and it still brings tears to my eyes remembering it,” said the three-time world medallist who feels she is a complete product of her coaches and her family.
"My family has been very supportive of my career. I owe it to them. But most importantly, I dedicate all my success to my dead mum, I know her spirit is proud of me.”
Mardi now eyes an Olympic medal in Paris
After taking the break in her career to become a mother, Mardi made a remarkable comeback to clinch gold at the 2023 Women's World Boxing Championships last March, beating her silver from 2022, and the third place from the 2019 edition.
There was rarely a doubt that she would defend her African title last August, but even more impressive was scaling down from her comfortable heavyweight class to the highest Olympic category of 75kg.
“I lost a lot of my weight in just about a month as I normally box in over 81kg, but I had to reduce to 75kg. It was not easy but not impossible when you have the will. I did it and still maintained my power,” said Mardi, whose boxing success has managed to captivate fans in her football mad nation.
She’s intent on creating her legacy far beyond succeeding herself by achieving something that no Arab or African female boxer has achieved, that will also help women boxing grow.
“There will definitely be focus on me and pressure when I go to Paris as the world champion,” she admitted to Olympics.com in Dakar in September, shortly after securing the quota for the next Games.
“The world title is now a motivation to get a medal at the Olympic Games. I really hope to get a medal at the Olympics, it will be a dream a come true.”
“If I win a medal, is not only for me and my family, but it will also be for all of Africa.”