As she had promised earlier, Dipa Karmakar attempted the Produnova, but it was not as perfect as she would have liked and the Indian gymnast had to be satisfied with the fourth spot, narrowly missing out on a bronze medal in the women’s vault competition at the Rio Olympics despite a brave and path-breaking effort.
Switzerland’s Giulia Steingruber finished with an average of 15.216 for her two vaults while Dipa got 15.066. American Simone Biles added a third gold medal to her haul in Rio on Sunday, the 19-year-old averaging 15.966 during her two vaults, well clear of silver medalist Maria Paseka of Russia (15.253).
Biles is the first American woman to win Olympic gold on vault. Her three gold medals in Rio also are the most by an American female gymnast in one Olympics. Biles will have a chance at more gold later this week when she competes in the event finals on balance beam and floor exercise.
No Indian woman gymnast has ever reached the Olympics – Dipa not only did that but actually went one better and qualified for the vault final.
