New Delhi, 7 Oct 

Dipa Karmakar, who blazed a trail by becoming the first Indian woman gymnast to compete at the Olympics and finish a historic fourth, announced her retirement on Monday, ending a career in which she inspired awe for routinely performing the highly-difficult Produnova vault.

The diminutive 31-year-old from Tripura grabbed headlines with her fourth-place finish in the vault final of the 2016 Rio Games, losing an Olympic medal by just 0.15 points.

"After much thought and reflection, I have decided to retire from competitive gymnastics. This is not an easy decision, but it feels like the right time," she said in a statement.

"Gymnastics has been at the centre of my life for as long as I can remember, and I am grateful for every moment -- the highs, the lows, and everything in between."

Dipa said she hopes to give back to the sport by becoming a coach at some point in her life or she might simply remain a "supporter of the next generation of gymnasts following their dreams".

Hailing from Agartala, Dipa is one of only five women in gymnastics history to have successfully executed the Produnova, which involves two somersaults before landing and is called the 'vault of death' owing to the high risk of injury it poses.

"When I look back, I feel an overwhelming sense of pride for everything I've achieved. Representing India on the world stage, winning medals, and most memorably, performing the Produnova vault at the Rio Olympics, will forever be cherished as the pinnacle of my career," she said.

Dipa was initiated to the sport when she was only six and was coached by Soma Nandi and Bishweshwar Nandi, who remained her mentor throughout her career, guiding her to several international medals and fame.

As a child, Dipa had flat feet, a physical condition which would have ended her dream of becoming a gymnast. But through extensive training, she was able to develop an arch in her foot.

In 2021, despite facing several career setbacks, Dipa clinched a gold medal at the Asian Gymnastics Championships in Tashkent.

"But my last victory at the Asian Gymnastics Championship in Tashkent was a turning point. After that win, I truly believed I could push my body to reach new heights again. But sometimes, our bodies tell us it's time to rest, even when our hearts want to keep going," she said. -PTI