Tripura's Dipa Karmakar makes history, qualifies for Olympic vault finals

Indian gymnast Dipa Karmakar scripted history as she became the first South Asian to make the cut for the individual vault finals in her debut Olympic Games, reports the Press Trust of India from Rio.

PTI says Dipa has finished eighth in the qualifying round.

The girl from Tripura, who is the country’s first woman gymnast to qualify for the Olympics, managed to perform her much-appreciated ‘Produnova’ vault cleanly to secure 14.850 points after two attempts.

It was a nervous wait for the Indian after that. She had ended sixth after the third of five subdivisions.

She dropped to eighth eventually when Canadian Shallon Olsen’s terrific effort of 14.950 rejigged the overall standings.

But that was just about enough to secure her a place in the finals scheduled for Aug 14 as the top-eight made the cut for the medal round.

Dipa secured 7 on difficulty and 8.1 on execution in her first attempt. Her score
for difficulty was a tad lower at 6 in the second attempt.

She landed low on her Produnova vault in the first attempt, while her second vault was a ‘Tsuk double full twist’ with step to the side.

"That I have reached the final is an amazing achievement.

“My coach is very happy because I executed what he had taught me to do," Dipa told Reuters in her native Bengali.

Coach and former champion gymnast Bisheswar Nandi told bdnews24.com on email: "Dipa appears terribly motivated . She will go all out in the finals."

Father Dulal Karmakar in Agartala told bdnews24.com: "I am keeping my fingers crossed. I know my daughter is a fierce competitor and will give her very best in the finals."