Written By: Naz Haider | Updated : April 19, 2016 1:00 PM IST
Dipa Karmakar created history as she became India's first woman gymnast to qualify for Olympics after putting up a strong show at the final qualifying and Rio Games test event. Dipa, who is an Asian bronze medallist, qualified in the artistic gymnastics event at Rio after collecting 52.698 points in the test event, according to the world gymnastics governing body's website.
Dipa will also get a chance in the vault, the event in which she picked up two bronze medals in the 2015 Asian Championships and 2014 Commonwealth Games. Besides being the first Indian woman, she will also be the first Indian gymnast qualifying for the quadrennial extravaganza after 52 long years. The last participation by India in gymnastics at Olympics was way back in 1964, but during that time there was no qualification system in place.
The 22-years-old gymnast hails from Tripura shot to fame with her bronze medal at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and is one of the most established and recognised Indian gymnasts. A lot of people took to the social media to congratulate Dipa Karmakar on her recent achievement.
1st Indian female gymnast to qualify for the olympics #DipaKarmakar
Kudos. mandira bedi (@mandybedi) April 18, 2016
Congratulations Dipa Karmakar. Way to go girl. #RoadToRio#DipaKarmakar.
Sunny Deol (@IAMSUNNYDEOL) April 18, 2016
What great news... Dipa Karmakar becomes the 1st ever Indian to qualify for Rio 2016 Olympics in Gymnastics!! #MakingIndiaProud
Abhishek Bachchan (@juniorbachchan) April 18, 2016
From a flat-foot child to a celebrated gymnast, Dipa Karmakar is definitely a lesson on how much you can soar with determination and right guidance. Her coach, Bisbeshwar Nandi, has put in a lot of effort in honing and polishing Dipa Karmakar to become a class gymnast that she is. The duo have faced multiple hardships and that is what makes her life story truly inspiring.
Wishing her all the best for the Rio Olympics.
With inputs from IANS
Image source: Getty Images
