NATIONAL : Dipa Karmakar, who blazed a trail by becoming the first Indian woman gymnast to compete at the Olympics and finish a historic fourth, announced her retirement on Monday, ending a career in which she inspired awe for routinely performing the highly-difficult Produnova vault. The diminutive 31-year-old from Tripura grabbed headlines with her fourth-place finish in the vault final of the 2016 Rio Games, losing an Olympic medal by just 0.15 points.

“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.” Dipa said she hopes to give back to the sport by becoming a coach at some point in her life or she might simply remain a “supporter of the next generation of gymnasts following their dreams”.

Hailing from Agartala, Dipa is one of only five women in gymnastics history to have successfully executed the Produnova, which involves two somersaults before landing and is called the ‘vault of death’ owing to the high risk of injury it poses.

“When I look back, I feel an overwhelming sense of pride for everything I’ve achieved. Representing India on the world stage, winning medals, and most memorably, performing the Produnova vault at the Rio Olympics, will forever be cherished as the pinnacle of my career,” she said.

“These moments were not just victories for me; they were victories for every young girl in India who dared to dream, who believed that with hard work and determination, anything is possible.” Dipa was initiated to the sport when she was only six and was coached by Soma Nandi and Bishweshwar Nandi, who remained her mentor throughout her career, guiding her to several international medals and fame.

As a child, Dipa had flat feet, a physical condition which would have ended her dream of becoming a gymnast. But through extensive training, she was able to develop an arch in her foot.“I remember the 5-year-old Dipa who was told would not be able to become a gymnast because of having flat feet,” she wrote.

Dipa has been honoured with the Padma Shri, Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna and Arjuna Award for her outstanding achievements. (with inputs from PTI)