Dipa Karmakar, First Indian Woman To Compete In Gymnastics At The Olympics, Retires At 31

Indian gymnast Dipa Karmakar declared her retirement on Monday via a social media post, stating that this was the right moment for her to step away from competitive gymnastics.

“Gymnastics Has Been At The Centre Of My Life”

“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 wrote in her statement.

The 31-year-old expressed her deep connection with the sport, saying, “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.”

Reflecting on her career achievements, she highlighted the Produnova Vault performed at the Rio Olympics as a key highlight of her journey. “I still remember the 5-year-old Dipa who was told that she couldn’t be a gymnast because of her flat feet.”

She added, “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.”

Karmakar also described her victory at the Asian Gymnastics Championship in Tashkent as a significant milestone. “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 listen,” she said.

The 31-year-old gymnast was the first Indian woman to compete in gymnastics at the Olympics and narrowly missed out on a medal in the vault event, finishing fourth by just 0.15 points.

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