India’s Top Gymnasts Return To Artistic Gymnastics National Championships

The Senior Artistic Gymnastics National Championships for the 2023-24 season are being held in Bhubaneswar at the Gymnastics Centre. 

This event is organized by the Sports and Youth Services Department of the Government of Odisha, the Odisha Gymnastics Association, and the Gymnastics Federation of India. It started on January 2 and will run until January 4, 2024.

Notably, this championship is featuring some of India’s top gymnasts. Dipa Karmakar, an Olympian, is returning to compete in the senior nationals after an eight-year break. 

Last year, Dipa had knee surgery, but she’s back and ready to compete, although there’s a bit of concern about her injury. Her coach, Bishweshwar Nandi, spoke about the excellent facilities at the venue, which are of Olympic standards.

Other prominent gymnasts participating include Pranati Nayak, Yogeshwar Singh, Rakesh Patra, Tapan Mohanty, Saif Tamboli, Gaurav Kumar, and more. 

Rakesh Kumar Patra, who narrowly missed qualifying for the Rio Olympics, is also making a comeback after eight years and multiple surgeries. His goal is to perform well in the Asian championships and qualify for the Paris Olympics.

Ashok Mishra, the Head Coach at the Odisha AM/NS India Gymnastics High-Performance Centre, highlighted the significance of this championship. 

It’s crucial not only because of the high level of competition but also because it serves as a selection platform for upcoming World Cups, which are part of the Olympic qualification process.

The Junior Artistic Gymnastics National Championship was also successfully conducted just before this. It saw participation from around 320 boys and girls, along with more than 80 officials. 

The Senior National Championship is seeing participation from around 340 gymnasts, making it a highly competitive and interesting tournament.

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This event is a major step for Indian gymnastics. The excellent facilities, along with strong participation from top athletes, are expected to contribute significantly to the development of gymnastics in India.

The event is set to enhance the country’s prospects in international competitions like the Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, and Olympics.