"Aim is to qualify for the Paris Olympics" – Dipa Karmakar eyes a medal at the quadrennial event before considering retirement

India’s ace gymnast Dipa Karmakar said that she is straining every sinew to qualify for the Paris Olympics 2024. After failing to make the cut for Tokyo back in 2021, Karmakar talked about her aspirations to finish on the podium before considering about retiring from the sport.

Back in the Rio Olympics in 2016, Karmakar agonizingly missed out on winning a medal after she finished fourth in the standings, only 0.150 points behind Switzerland’s Giulia Steingruber.

However, Dipa Karmakar still harbors hopes of winning an Olympic medal and finishing the work that she left unfinished in Rio eight years ago.

“My aim is to qualify for the Paris Olympics and win a medal before I consider retirement. There are still two competitions remaining, and I am hopeful of qualifying for the Olympics. Results will come, but efforts are crucial," Dipa told The Bridge.

Dipa Karmakar wants to put behind tough years

Dipa Karmakar admitted that she has had to go through tough times over the last five years. Back in 2017, she suffered an ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) and underwent surgery. Due to her injury, she missed quite a few tournaments and also failed to qualify for the Tokyo Games.

“The last five years have been very challenging for me. In the last two World Cups, I finished fifth and fourth respectively. I am now preparing for the upcoming World Cup and Asian Championships,” she added.

Last year, the 30-year-old came back and topped the selection trials for the Asian Games 2023 at the Kalinga Stadium. However, she was not selected for the championship in Hangzhou after she did not meet the eligibility criterion of the sports ministry.

Karmakar also served a 21-month suspension after violating the World Anti-Doping Agency Code. Higenamine was found in her sample collected by the International Testing Agency (ITA).