Why Dipa Karmakar's Produnova is a vault of death

On April 18, 2016, Dipa Karmakar made history by becoming the first Indian woman gymnast to make it to the Olympics. But what really sets Dipa apart among most gymnasts from across the world is her crazy perseverance to try out a move that is considered downright dangerous by most observers.

Like a slam dunk in basketball or a bicycle kick in football or a switch hit in cricket, the Produnova vault is a rare move considered the pinnacle of that sport. But unlike the other moves, the number of athletes who’ve successfully completed the Produnova is just five and Karmakar was the third. Such is the risk involved in performing this move—in case, a gymnast lands on their neck or spine— that there's talk about banning it. 

Produnova — the most dangerous move in gymnastics

Named after legendary athlete Yelena Produnova, the move has only been completed in official tournaments by five gymnasts. The extremely difficult routine, which involves a front handspring and two front somersaults, has a 7.0 D-score.

Karmakar was introduced to the move by her two coaches in April 2014, three months before the Glasgow Commonwealth Games. She created history by becoming the first Indian woman gymnast to win a medal at the CWG. The 22-year-old then finished fourth at the Incheon Asian Games and finished fifth at the World Championships.

As she did the Produnova, she became an internet sensation. While she might have just won a bronze, many missed the significance of her win. Only two current gymnasts have performed the move and none of them have garnered such a high score.

In the past, she has spoken about the move: “There can be death if you land on the neck, there’s death if you go down headlong. It is risky, I know. But to win something, I always knew I had to take a risk.”

Kamarkar also talked about training for the move three months before the 2014 Commonwealth games. She explained: “I’d seen boys do it, so why not? It’s tough because when you land after two aerial somersaults, the weight that comes on the leg is double – if I’m 45 kg, the legs have to take 80-90 kg,” she says. "Now, imagine landing on the neck instead, which can crack under such weight. I don’t imagine the worst, it doesn’t work like that,” she added.

At the Commonwealth Games 2014

World Championships Glasgow 2015

Dipa Karmakar in Action at Rio Qualifying Event(Video-1). #SAI #RoadToRio pic.twitter.com/gyBF3vSpr9

— SAIMedia (@Media_SAI) April 18, 2016

Hard journey to the top

Even in a nation used to rags to riches stories, Karmakar’s perseverance stands out. Her skills were built by practising on makeshift apparatus, by placing several crash mats on top of each other. She sacrificed an English medium school education so she could practise gymnastics, a decision which haunted her father. At Rio, the nation’s hope will ride on this young girl from Tripura who seems to have no fear. Her father and sister have recalled her determination, even at the age of 9.

While there are barely any world-class gymnastics facilities in the whole of India, in a small city like Agartala, it was virtually non-existent. Kamarker performed on some uneven bars and judo mats. After the 2010 Commonwealth Games, equipment manufacturers Gymnova gave her the cast-offs from the tournament.  

Things have gotten better. To practice for the move, the SAI prepared a foam pit at the IGI stadium. She told NDTV: “For doing the 'Produnova' vault, SAI prepared a foam pit for me at the IGI Stadium. That helped me to win a medal at the Commonwealth Games and Asian championship. All of us had only one goal in mind. It was because of the hard work that the team put in that I am able to achieve this feat." The gymnast hasn't let any setback get to her.

She had earlier said, “The only goals I have left is to be an Olympian and when I get there, to take back a medal for India.” With her special brand of perseverance and desire to attempt the impossible, you would not want to bet against her.