Inspired by Dipa, Madurai gymnasts enthral audience with stunning show

More than 20 students from Siddhu Matriculation Higher Secondary School in the city performed gymnastics routines in the presence of Collector K Veera Raghav Rao and other officials. 

The gathering for Independence Day parade were treated to all types of gymnastics performances including vault events. 

Speaking about the gymnasts their coach, Karunakaran, who has been coaching children for the past 20 years, said that the sport was increasingly becoming popular in the districts and in recent times more number of girls have started taking to it. 

All this was due to gymnasts like Dipa Karmakar who won the hearts of fellow participants as well as the whole country with her stellar show at the Rio Olynpics. She was placed fourth in the Artistic Gymnastics event, missing the bronze by a whisker. 

Dipa has inspired a lot of young girls and his daughter Sona too was once such enthusiast, Karunakaran said. Speaking to DTNext, Sona, who had recently won a bronze medal at the national event, said she watched Dipa at the Olympics with curiosity and awe but was disappointed at her missing the medal.

Sona said West Bengal and Tripura gymnasts dominated in the country with their fine show. Only of late, gymnasts from Tamil Nadu showed great interest in the sport, she added. But she rued the lack of adequate facilities for budding gymnasts in the state. She appealed to the state government to step up the infrastructure facilities to promote the sport.