New Delhi, Oct 7 (IANS): Indian gymnast Dipa Karmakar announced her retirement from the sport in an emotional social media post titled "Signing off from the mat". Deepa became a household name after performing the Produnova Vault in the 2016 Rio Olympics but missed a medal by just 0.15 points. She finished fourth behind Simone Biles, Maria Paseka and Giulia Steingrubber in the vault event, becoming the first Indian gymnast to achieve this milestone.
Deepa made history soon after when she became the first Indian gymnast to win a gold medal in the FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Challenge Cup in 2018.
"Bahut sochne ke baad, mainne yeh decision liya hain, ki main Gymnastics se retire ho rahi hu. Ye decision mere liye aasan nahi tha, but yahi sahi waqt hai. Gymnastics meri zindagi ka ek bahut bada hissa hain (After thinking it out thoroughly, I've concluded to hang my boots. It was not an easy decision, but it is the right time. Gymnastics was a big part of my life), and I am grateful for every moment — the highs, the lows, and everything in between," Dipa wrote in a social media post.
"I remember five-year-old Dipa, who was told that she could never be a gymnast because of her flat feet. Today, I feel very proud to see my achievements. Representing India on the world stage, winning medals and most special, performing the Produnova Vault in the Rio Olympics have been the most memorable moments of my career. Today, I am very happy to see Dipa because she dared to dream," she added.
Dipa is one of the only five women who have successfully landed the Produnova, which is regarded as one of the most difficult vaults of those currently being performed in women's gymnastics.
Earlier this year, Deepa made history by winning the gold medal at the Asian Senior Championships in Tashkent. She became the first Indian gymnast to achieve the feat.
"My last victory Asian Gymnastics Championship Tashkent, was a turning point, because then I felt that I could push my body further, but sometimes our body tells us that it is time to rest, but the heart is still not even today," the post read.
She thanked her coaches Bishweshwar Nandi and Soma for shaping her career in the sport.
"I would like to thank my coaches Bishweshwar Nandi sir and Soma ma'am, who have guided me for the last 25 years and have been my biggest strength. For the support I have received, I would like to express my gratitude to the Tripura government, Gymnastics Federation of India, Sports Authority of India, GoSports Foundation, and Meraki Sport and Entertainment. And finally, to my family, who has always been with me, through my good and bad days," Dipa wrote.
"I wrote that I am retiring, but my connection with gymnastics will never be lost. I would like to bring this sport back to life by providing safe mentors, coaches, and support to other girls like me.
"Once again, thank you, everyone, for being a part of my journey," Dipa concluded.
The 31-year-old also won the bronze medal in the 2014 Commonwealth Games, becoming the first Indian woman to win a medal in the Games and the second Indian after Ashish Kumar to win a medal in CWG.
She was conferred with the Arjuna Award in 2015 and the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award in 2016. She also received the Padma Shri, the fourth-highest civilian award, in 2017.