She talks about how gymnastics has taken over her life, ageism, and perceptions following the doping crisis.Dipa Karmakar, a gymnast, is frequently accused directly of ageing. As though everyone else doesn’t. “Gaye ho ap jo gaye ho.” Is gymnastics the right sport for you? She tells her the usual counsel that comes easily to her: “Rio ke baad hi retire hona chahiye tha (You should have retired after Rio)”. A small portion of the abuse she has endured in the past few years is widespread ageism. Even the athletic community, which really should know better given that 48-year-old Uzbek Oksana Chusovitina is still active in the sport, generously offers Karmakar complimentary jabs. It takes place every day. What, nevertheless, is possible, she queries.
A full 14 years after winning her first gold in 2010, Karmakar earned her sixth National Championships All Around championship this past week, finishing ahead of the rest of the field despite not really trying to show anything. In India, anyone can discuss anything regarding athletics. However, she admits, “Thoda-sa prove kiya at the Nationals that I’m back,” grinning as she wins two silver and one gold in Bhubaneswar.
After two ACL surgeries, hardly many have come back to win the All Around, which is an accumulation of scores over floor exercises, beam, vault, and uneven bars. “My family and coach supported me through all the highs and lows. Few people can compete on every apparatus after recovering from two surgeries. In Tripura, we even lack a competent physiotherapist. When she explains that the title made her very happy after demonstrating “thoda-sa” a little, she continues, “If I could achieve this without any support, then surely I can do more in the future.” She continues, “I’d been waiting for this day for a long time.”
Despite winning the trials, she was removed off the Asian Games roster and avoided by major financial organisations. “Ab woh ho gayaa.” I don’t want to talk about that subject again,” she says, appearing non-angry.
