Dipa Karmakar is back in the Asian Games team. The Gymnastics Federation of India (GFI) has already sent the final team comprising four female gymnasts and five male gymnasts to the Union Sports Ministry and waiting for clearance. The selected four female gymnasts are Dipa Karmakar, Pranati Nayak, Pranati Das, and Pratistha Samanta.

Dipa having overcome a 21-month suspension due to a doping violation, garnered the maximum point 47.05 in the recently-held selection trials at Bhubaneswar.

Despite having regained her form, her coach Bisweswar Nandy does not want Dipa to execute her famous Produvona again in the Asian Games scheduled to be held in September end. 

He revealed, “Dipa is not practicing Produnova. It is a high-difficulty vault and quite tough also. Her knee injury is fully cured. Still, she is yet to overcome the injury discomfort psychologically, fearing she is plagued by the same injury again. That is why, I have concentrated on Tsukahara 720.”

Commenting on his expectation from Dipa in the Asian Games, Nandy divulged, “I will be happy if she reaches the final of her event in the Games. She is 29 years now. She has gained almost everything. If she can dish out a break-through performance in the Games, it will be a bonus for her as well as the country’s sports fraternity.”

Presently, Dipa and Pratistha Samanta have been training almost six hours every day at Agartala for the last few months. Nandy described he has been motivating Dipa by showing the training video clippings of Cristiano Ronaldo. 

Nandy added, “Ronaldo also came back following ACL surgery. I am showing his training videos. Dipa also has tremendous mental strength. I believe she will be able to deliver her best in the Asian Games."