Dipa Karmakar's death-defying vault and why she sticks to it

Lacking funds and resources, Karmakar has found her ticket for Olympic glory in the Produnova vault

Indian gymnast Dipa Karmakar has been scripting history ever since she became the country's first woman gymnast to qualify for the Olympics, but to do so she has had to master perhaps the most perilous vault known to the sport. 

Karmakar, who turns 23 on Tuesday, became the first Indian to make the cut for the individual vault finals in her debut Olympic Games and in the process she managed to perform her much-appreciated 'Produnova' vault cleanly to secure 14.850 points after two attempts.

However, every time she attempts the Produnova she puts her life and limbs at risk. Described as the "most difficult and dangerous manoeuvre in women’s gymnastics" by The Wall Street Journal, it currently has a 7.0 D-score and thus provides a leg-up for any gymnast able to perform it successfully.

Read our full coverage on the 2016 Rio Olympics

 

What is the Produnova

The manoeuvre, named after Russian gymnast Yelena Sergeyevna Produnova, consists a front handspring and two front somersaults. The trick is to get high enough to be able to execute two flips in the air and land safely on your feet. 

In 1999, Produnova became the first person to nail the vault and, since then, only five other gymnasts have successfully executed it.

Karmakar, one of those of five gymnasts, has made the Produnova her calling card. However, doing so comes at great risk to her well-being.

Till date though, the gold standard remains Yelena's rendition of it, with her vertical finish. Karmakar usually lands in a deep squat when she executes the vault.  

It can lead to death

Quoting US gymnast Simone Biles, the most decorated American female gymnast in World Championships history, The Wall Street Journal says that "someone could get killed trying to pull it off".

The favourites for the 2016 Rio Olympics, the American women's gymnastics squad is headlined by Biles — who is widely expected to clinch gold.

Biles isn't the only one who deems the Produnova too dangerous.   

Referring to the vault, US gymnast Laurie Hernandez told The Wall Street Journal, “No, thanks.”

There have been calls to ban the manoeuvre. 

Karmakar says it's easy for her

Speaking to The Hindustan Times about the vault, Karmakar said, “I learnt it in 2014. I knew I had to take a risk but I was not afraid to perform it.”

Before qualifying for the individual vault finals, Karmakar told FirstPost, "In the last three months, I did 1,000 repetitions of the move... Now it is the easiest vault for me."

This is not bravado on Karmakar's part though. In March this year, speaking to the BBC about the Produnova, she said, "One wrong move and I could die on the spot."  

Lack of resources makes taking this risk the only way forward

Her coach, Bishweshwar Nandi, also understands the risks involved. However, he contends that she needs the Produnova.  

Speaking to The Hindustan Times, Nandi said, “We have to take this risk because we are not a strong nation when it comes to gymnastics. Dipa attempts Produnova because it can get her bigger points and a chance to enter the finals of tournaments."

Karmakar will be looking to nail the dangerous vault in the finals and create history, once again, for India.