Dipa Karmakar : My first target will be to reach the final at Rio

ByArun S Kaimal, SportsCafe Editor

07/19/2016

Dipa Karmakar, who became the first Indian woman gymnast to qualify for the Olympics a few months ago, said on Monday that her first target at the Rio Games will be to qualify for the final. The 22-year-old also added that she is trying hard to improve her score in a bid to secure a medal.

Dipa Karmakar, who finished fifth in her favourite vault event in the World artistic gymnastics championships at Glasgow in October last year, qualified for the Olympics a few months ago after producing a stunning performance at the test event for the Rio Games. She also clinched the gold at the event and was named a ‘Gymnaste de Classe Mondaile’ (World class gymnast) by the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) earlier this month. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the send-off ceremony of the Indian Olympic contingent, Dipa talked about her preparations for the Games and said that her first target is to qualify for the final.

My preparation is going well. I want to do well in Rio. My first target will be to reach the final first."

Dipa Karmakar

"My preparation is going well. I want to do well in Rio. My first target will be to reach the final first," the 22-year-old from Agartala said on the sidelines of IOA's official send-off ceremony of the Indian Olympic contingent, reported PTI.

"I am trying to improve my score by at least 0.34 points then also it will be great. My practice is going on well and I am trying to improve on that. I'm practicing in Indira Gandhi stadium."

The 22-year-old is known for her expertise in the dangerous Produnova vault and is one of the few gymnasts in the world to attempt it. When asked about it, Dipa Karmakar said, "I know Produnova vault is dangerous. But I have been doing it for two years. You have to take a little risk trying to do something. Since 2014, I have been doing it and I will try to do better at Olympics."

Her coach Biseswar Nandi also expressed hope of securing a medal, but warned that the competition at Rio will be tough.

"We have high hopes from her. The competition is tough. There are many countries such as US, Russia, and Switzerland -- they are the main competitors," he said, reported PTI.

"Vaulting table is her main event. Difficulty marks is 7 and execution is 10. So it is 17. We have to get to 15.67, now she is having 15.34 and she is trying to achieve that mark.

"If she can reach the finals then she can win a medal. I believe anything can happen," he added.

Also, read: Dipa Karmakar determined to do well at Rio