historic-gold-for-indian-gymnastics-in-tashkent

Indian gymnast Dipa Karmakar has etched her name in the annals of history by clinching the gold medal at the Asian Women’s Artistic Gymnastics Championships 2024 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

 

Hailing from Tripura, Dipa's stellar performance in the women’s vault individual final marked her as the first Indian ever to secure a gold medal in any Asian Championships.

 

Dipa showcased exceptional talent and determination, scoring an average of 13.566 points to claim the coveted gold medal, outshining her competitors from across the continent.

 

The silver and bronze medals were secured by Kim Son-hyang and Jo Kyong-byol of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea), with scores of 13.466 and 12.966 points, respectively.

 

Despite her remarkable achievement, Dipa narrowly missed securing a quota for the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics, finishing 16th in the all-round category.

 

Dipa's triumph adds to India's growing list of medalists at the Asian Championships, joining the ranks of past Indian achievers in gymnastics.

 

Indian gymnasts at Asian Championships:

• 2006, Surat: Ashish Kumar, bronze in individual floor exercise final
• 2015, Hiroshima: Dipa Karmakar, bronze in vault individual final
• 2019, Ulaanbaatar: Pranati Nayak, bronze in vault individual final
• 2022, Doha: Pranati Nayak, bronze in vault individual final
• 2024, Tashkent: Dipa Karmakar, gold in vault individual final

Dipa Karmakar, standing at just 4 feet 11 inches tall, has emerged as one of India’s most renowned and inspiring women gymnasts.

 

Her journey to success began with a bronze medal at the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games, followed by a historic qualification for the 2016 Rio Olympics, where she finished fourth in the vault event.

 

In 2018, Dipa made history once again by becoming the first Indian woman to win a gold medal at a global gymnastics event, triumphing at the FIG World Cup in Mersin, Turkiye.

 

Additionally, she secured a bronze medal at the 2018 Artistic Gymnastics World Cup in Germany.

 

Dipa Karmakar's remarkable achievements have been recognised with prestigious awards, including the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award in 2016 and the Padma Shri in 2017, honoring her outstanding contributions to Indian sports.