Dipa Karmakar has created history by becoming the first Indian female gymnast to qualify for the Olympics. The 22-year-old put up a strong performance in the final qualifier, scoring 52.698 points to secure a place in the Rio Olympics 2016.
Congratulations Dipa Karmakar on becoming the 1st ever Indian gymnast to qualify for the Olympics #Rio2016 pic.twitter.com/BidO3uUwYb
— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) April 18, 2016
On Sunday, the 22-year-old became the first Indian woman gymnast to secure an Olympic Games berth in artistic gymnastics at a qualifying event in Rio de Janeiro.
A few hours later, she won the gold medal in the vaults final, the first time an Indian woman has clinched a gold in a global gymnastics event.
Dipa Karmakar's Produnova in World Championships 2015. https://t.co/NnwLd1eQKl pic.twitter.com/uTEXkpeVYd
— Reddit India (@redditindia) April 17, 2016
"Just yesterday, a daughter of India brought fame to the country at the Rio Olympics," the PM said in a speech to students at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University in Jammu, referring to the qualifying event held this weekend that allows Ms Karmakar to claim her place at the Olympics.
Dipa Karmakar just became the first ever Indian gymnast to qualify for the Olympics! https://t.co/wOHv3vCnc8 pic.twitter.com/Vok4TdLr4m
— Reddit India (@redditindia) April 17, 2016
Dipa is also the first Indian gymnast to qualify for the world's biggest sporting extravaganza after 52 years. Six Indian male gymnasts had last taken part in the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo. There was no qualification system in place at that time.
She was a reluctant gymnast the first few years — not entirely happy about the repetitive drills, but she never really quit on the sport and till date refuses to take more than a day off from practice.
“Ziddi thi,” Dulal Karmakar remembers.
Congratulations #DipaKarmakar on creating history with your qualification. You inspire young Indians with your achievement. Best wishes.
— sachin tendulkar (@sachin_rt) April 18, 2016
"These incidents set examples, give us strength," the PM said.
“If she decided she wanted something, she would just not rest easy till she got it, first National championship, then the India team, then the Commonwealth games, now Olympics qualification. I learnt very early not to take what she declares lightly. She won’t say something unless she’s sure in her mind she can achieve it,” her father, a weightlifting SAI coach, says.
Dipa Karmakar's Produnova in #Rio2016 qualifier. https://t.co/NnwLd1eQKl pic.twitter.com/UnK1OwxvXN
— Reddit India (@redditindia) April 17, 2016
India has been absent from Olympic gymnastics events since 1964 when six male athletes competed. There was no qualification system in place at that time.
At the world championships in Glasgow last November, Ms Karmakar, who is from Agartala, became the first Indian to qualify for an apparatus final, where she finished fifth on the vault.
