Asian Gymnastics Gold has Dipa Karmakar dreaming of Paris and Olympic glory

Dipa Karmakar wins gold at Asian Championships in Tashkent

Dipa Karmakar transported millions of sports fans at home and abroad back to the fame she achieved at the Rio Olympics in 2016 by winning a historic gold medal at the Asian Championships in Tashkent on Sunday.

After years of disappointment and turmoil, Dipa produced a golden effort in the vault. She and Bishweshwar Nandi, her coach, were ecstatic, but also quick to remind fans that the Paris Olympics in July-August are still a long shot.

“I can’t say how happy I am,” said an emotional Dipa. “This performance has come after surgeries and suspension. No other (Indian) gymnast has done this. So, this medal is really special.”

Till now, no Indian gymnast has made the cut for Paris, Pranati Nayak included. There was a chance to go for it in Tashkent, with excellence in the all-round competition, but that did not happen. However, there is still hope, as Dipa is No. 2 on the waiting list.

What the diminutive and lithe girl did on August 14, 2016 in Rio, while finishing just outside the medals, is still a special page in India’s sporting history. The world took notice and commentators were ecstatic as she produced the difficult Produnova vault with near-precision. An Indian attempting that and pulling it off evoked awe.

Later Dipa would say that only one thing was echoing in her ears as she sprinted down the runway: “Tight, tight, run, straight and push.” What she attempted was the ‘handspring double front’, highly technical and requiring concentration and years of practice.

That high was followed by misery in 2017. Knee surgery left Dipa in pain and unable to even walk straight. There was nothing wrong with her rehab efforts. “I have done everything as advised by my physios,” she told this writer in 2018, and later in 2019. Yet, Dipa was unable to push her body into flight like before.

Then, in 2021, when she was banned for 21 months following an out-of-test competition by the International Testing Agency (ITA), an independent body. The substance that showed up in her urine sample was higenamine, a prohibited substance on the WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) list. It is usually used for weight loss.

Dipa returned in 2023, and hit the ground running. She craved an Asian Games medal in Hangzhou, but India’s sports system ignored her. “I tried my best to convince people I am fit and ready,” she said back then.

Dipa and Nandi share a unique relationship that goes back more than two decades, reminiscent of the bond PT Usha shared with OM Nambiar, her coach. “Dipa is like my daughter,” said Nandi. “We know we are not in the running for the Paris Olympics, but you never know what happens if someone pulls out. We will keep preparing and training.”