Former Indian skipper Rahul Dravid was all praise for Dipa Karmakar, who scripted history early on 8th August by becoming the first ever Indian gymnast to book a spot in the final of a gymnastics event at the Olympics.
The 43-year-old took to his official Facebook account to appreciate the efforts of Dipa stating that her achievements have inspired him and also praised the efforts of her support system.
“Dipa Karmakar, you have been breaking down barriers and challenging stereotypes from the time you first stepped into a gym. I have been inspired by your commitment and belief and that of your parents, Coach Nandi and the rest of your support system,” Dravid wrote on his Facebook page.
The former batsman has been helping young and upcoming athletes through his mentorship programme- the ‘Rahul Dravid Athletes Mentorship Programme’, in association with GoSports Foundation, alongside the likes of Beijing Olympics gold medalist Abhinav Bindra and All England Badminton Championship winner Pullela Gopichand.
Dipa, who is one of the foundations’ products, finished eighth in the qualifying round of her first Olympics and thus made it to the finals. The athlete from Tripura bagged 14.850 points in two attempts and reached the promise land. Her vault final will be held on the 14th of August.
Here is the complete message from Rahul Dravid :
