Beating Simone Biles in Tokyo is Dipa Karmakar’s aim

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Dipa Karmakar & Bisweswar Nandi at the theme inauguration of Salt Lake FD block Durga Puja. Image : XtraTime

Kolkata : Olympian and Khel Ratna 2016 award winner Dipa Karmakar and her Dronacharya winning coach Bisweswar Nandi were present on Sunday at Salt Lake FD Block as a chief guest for inaugurating their Durga Puja theme 2016. The other chief guests were famous Bengali actor Prosenjit Chatterjee, Bengal’s Ranji Trophy winning captain Sambaron Banerjee, Ex East Bengal Coach as well as player Biswajit Bhattacharjee, Member of Legislative Assembly Mr. Sujit Basu and many other dignitaries. Bisweswar Nandi was felicitated with Khidya Award by Mr Sambaran Banerjee.

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Dipa was also felicitated by a gold crown by Prosenjit Chatterjee. Tomorrow Dipa will also be felicitated by Bhawanipore Club and Bengal Chamber of Commerce.

Followed by today’s event Dipa and her coach met the press and said that, “ After this Rio Olympics everyone is talking about gymnastics which is a great achievement for me. Parents are sending their girl child for gymnastics training.” She added ,” I just missed a medal in Rio by whisker, but I will try my level best to make my country proud in Olympics 2020.

Regarding a question about her future training she replied, ” After a massive event like Olympics now I am having some rest till Durga Puja, but my gym session is in full mode, I am working out in my gymnasium for at least 4hrs daily.”
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About the Paralympic medallists she said,” It’s a proud moment for all of us,I want to congratulate all four medallists for making our country proud.

She also said her dream is to do a vault which is never attempted or done by anyone and everyone will know this vault as ,” Karmakar valut.”

Regarding a question about her coaching Dipa quoted,” P.V Sindhu and Sakshi Malik both had won their medals in Rio under Indian coaches.”She added ,”I wouldn’t have been here without my coach Nandi Sir. Our show has proved that Indian coaches are no different than foreign coaches. I would say an Indian coach would work harder to keep the Indian flag higher.”

She said in her last quote,”My next aim is to beat Simone Biles in Tokyo 2020, that’s my target. I know very well that if I aspire to beat the champion, I would at least finish with a gold or silver.”