AGARTALA, May 26 : In a remarkable comeback story, 30-year-old Dipa Karmakar has become the first Indian gymnast to win a gold medal at the Asian Senior Championships. She achieved this feat in the women's vault final, scoring an impressive 13.566 in both her attempts for a total of 13.566.

Dipa's victory was all the more sweet given her struggles with injuries, two knee surgeries, and a 21-month suspension for a doping violation. Despite missing crucial opportunities to qualify for the Paris Olympics, she showed incredible resilience and determination to bounce back to the top.

The North Korean pair of Kim Son Hyang (13.466) and Jo Kyong Byol (12.966) took the silver and bronze medals, respectively. This is Dipa's second medal at the championships, having won a bronze in Hiroshima in 2015.

Ashish Kumar (floor exercise, bronze, Surat, 2006) and Pranati Nayak (vault, bronze medals in Ulaanbaatar, 2019, and Doha, 2022) are the other Indian gymnasts to have won Asian championships medals.

Dipa's historic gold medal is a testament to her hard work, dedication, and perseverance, inspiring a new generation of Indian gymnasts to strive for excellence.