It feels great, there were a lot of struggles...: Gymnast Dipa on her journey to Asian Championship gold

NEW DELHI: Gymnast Dipa Karmakar, who secured the gold medal at the Asian Championships, expressed happiness on finally securing the cherished medal after missing out on some opportunities by a narrow margin earlier and opened up on the tough journey towards the top podium finish. Karmakar scripted her name in the history books on Sunday after she clinched India's first gold medal in gymnastics in the Asian senior championships.

With an impressive total score of 13.566 in the women's vault final, Dipa took the gold medal while South Korea's Kim Son Hyang secured silver and her compatriot Jyo Kyong Byal bagged the bronze. The 30-year-old Olympian registered an average score of 13.566. Kim Son Hyang finished with 13.466 and Jo Kyong-byol with 12.966. "It feels great. There was a lot of struggles, including surgery. In the last three World Cups, I missed medals by a very small margin. I am speechless. During the competition period, I was focused on just performing, not the result. My scoring was not good on the first day. I wanted to give my 100 per cent during the finals," Karmakar told ANI.

Dipa's journey towards this medal was not an easy one as she battled injuries, and a suspension by the National Anti-Doping Agency for testing positive for a banned substance, which ended on July 2023. The ban came into effect on October 11, 2021, the day of her sample collection. "Injuries are a part of life. Sportspersons deal with it and it is normal. But that incident (suspension) was wrong, I had not done anything wrong. I felt demotivated. Everyone told me that I should make a comeback, since then, I focused on making my comeback and finally I have done it," she said.

Dipa said that not being able to qualify for the Paris Olympics and being able to get the Asian Championships gold has left her with mixed emotions. "But it is mostly good because I got to know that I am the first Indian gymnast to get the gold (at Asian Championships)," she added.

Though no Indian gymnast has qualified for Olympics 2024, taking place from July 26-August 11, Dipa expressed hope that this Olympic edition will be a "historic and emotional" affair for India given how much central government has worked hard in helping athletes and making sure they are at their best. "There has been a huge improvement (in performances).

Players from the Khelo India scheme have qualified for Olympics, the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) scheme has helped us. I think this Olympics will be a historic and emotional affair for us. Last time we had won a gold, hope, we will win two or three big medals. The government has been helping players a lot and looking after sports," she concluded.