Gymnast Dipa Karmakar announces retirement: ‘It feels like the right time’ | Sport-others News
Indian gymnast Dipa Karmakar on Monday announced her retirement with a social media post saying this was the right time to hang her boots.
“After much thought and reflection, I have decided to retire from competitive gymnastics. This is not an easy decision, but it feels like the right time,” she said in a statement.
“Gymnastics has been at the centre of my life for as long as I can remember, and I am grateful for every moment—the highs, the lows, and everything in between,” she added.
Signing off from the mat! ❤️
Thank you to everyone who has been a part of my journey. Onto the next chapter🤸🏻♀️🙏🏻 pic.twitter.com/kW5KQZLr29
— Dipa Karmakar (@DipaKarmakar) October 7, 2024
She also stated that she was proud of whatever she has achieved, stating that the Produnova Vault that she performed in the Rio Olympics was the most special moment of her career.
“I still remember the 5-year-old Dipa who was told that she couldn’t be a gymnast because of her flat feet. Today I feel proud to see how much I have achieved in my career. To represent India on the world stage and win medals as well as performing the Produnova Vault at the Rio Olympics have been some of the most memorable moments in my career. I feel very happy for that Dipa who had the courage to dream,” she wrote.
She also mentioned that the victory at the Asian Gymnastics Championship in Tashkent was a turning point for her.
“My last victory at the Asian Gymnastics Championship Tashkent was a turning point because till then I felt that I could push my body further but sometimes our body tells us it’s time to rest but the heart does not len,” she said.
The 31-year-old Dipa, who became the first female gymnast from the country to compete at the Olympics, finished fourth in the vault event to lose an Olympic medal just 0.15 points.
