Just Four Feet Plus Dominated Olympic, 2016

This year 2016, Olympic proved power packed performer comes in micro as gymnasts Simone Biles, USA and Dipa Karmakar, India won critic’s applause for their ace in performance though deprived of perfect height which acrobatic athlete requires. 

Finally the much experienced and multiple international title holders Simone Biles 4ft 8 Inc of USA cleaned swift the Olympic Gold Medal where 4ft 11 Inc Indian gymnast, Dipa Karmakar accomplished the fourth position. If not for fault in landing Karmakar had better chance to score over Simone. It was just earmark difference of 0.15 from the bronze medal winner of Switzerland as Dipa fetched 15. 066 score. Simone fetched 15.966 and Russia’s Maria Paseka fetched silver medal with 15.253 score.

It is not that Dipa gave underscore performance in comparison to her competitors for earlier she has good track record in Produnova vault with 15.300 score wherein  difficulty she scored 7.000 and execution scored 8.300  at 2015 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships.

Expectations are now high on Karmarkar because she did what never an Indian in Olympic debut had scored so well and that with an Indian coach. For the first time such spectacular performer emerged from Northeast, Tripura is something speechless and path breaking episode in Indian sport history that is encouraging for many potential players of this region.

In Indian sports belt never outstanding performance from Indian gymnast often heard in international challenges. To which great salute has to be given to this little girl of India who though even not near to required height and perfect feet has aimed high to accomplish the dream never set by any Indian.

Same is with US gymnast winner Simone who dared to dream and rule in a domain never imagined by gymnastic lovers as this is a game of precision and for perfect body to adapt its complicated acrobatic styles. Simone and Dipa body stature defied audience’s bank on them initially as lean, flexible and tall figurine lass had regularly stolen the show and judges admiration. But this time in Olympic for the first time little girl of America, Simone Biles won the gold over top competitor Maria Paseka of Russia whereas Dipa fought for the fourth place.

Produnova vault gymnastic floor demands high challenges which did not deter Dipa to make an easy attempt for the sake of medal. Dipa risked to set her put forward due to which she faltered slightly by landing on her haunches that impelled her buttock portion towards the floor. This fault cost her with loss of score and pushed her to fourth place.

For an Indian to finish fourth without prior foreign exposure in gymnastic, the slight miss in landing is not completely discouraging for the aspirants of India in this field. After a gap of seven years it is the second time someone from India has attempted in this risky Produnova vault platform in Olympic. Previously in 2008 Olympic in Beijing, a gymnast from Uzbekistan named as Oksana Chusoitinia had succeeded to fetch silver medal in it.