News Sports Other Dipa Karmakar, the Indian butterfly at Glasgow Commonwealth Games

Dipa Karmakar, the Indian butterfly at Glasgow Commonwealth Games

New Delhi: Dipa Karmakar became the first Indian woman and the second person from the country to clinch a historic Commonwealth Games medal in artistic gymnastics when she won the women's vault bronze at the


In the 34th National Games held in Ranchi (Jharkhand) in February 2011, Dipa won five gold medals in Floor, Vault, All Round, Balance beam and Uneven Bars.



Arjuna award-winning gymnast Mantu Debnath said: "Tripura has young men and women who have enormous skills in gymnasts and they would show their performance if they got appropriate support and encouragement."

Dipa, who is the national champion for the past five years, is a physical instructor under Tripura's sports and youth affairs department.

Dipa won the Commonwealth bronze with an average score of 14.366. The 20-year-old had scored a mere 13.633 points in the first Vault, the lowest out of eight competitors in the final.



However, in a remarkable comeback Thursday night, Dipa scored the highest in the second Vault with 15.100 to bring up her average to 14.366.

In February, Karmakar competed in the 2011 National Games of India representing Tripura. She won five golds in Floor, Vault, All Round, Balance beam and Uneven Bars. She said of her performance, "I am very happy with my performance and give this credit to my coach Biswaswar Nandi who has worked very hard for me and at the same time I worked according to his coaching. I thank sir for all of these."