Hours after creating history by becoming the first Indian gymnast to qualify for the Olympics, Dipa Karmakar clinched the gold in vaults finals at the test event of the Rio Games here today.
The 22-year-old Dipa scored 14.833 as her best effort to finish first in the women's vaults finals and win the gold in a rare such feat by an Indian gymnast in a global event.
Dipa came up with her gold winning effort in the first attempt itself and she scored 14.566 in her second and last try.
This gold won by Dipa in vaults has nothing to do with her Olympic qualification in the artistic event, which is an all-round competition.
Gymnastics officials said that Dipa's feat was the first time an Indian woman clinched a gold in a global gymnastic competition.
"No Indian has ever won a gold at a global event earlier and Dipa's gold is the first time this is happening. She has qualified for the Olympics and then has won a gold now. It is fantastic stuff," international referee Deepak Kagra told PTI.
Earlier in the day, Dipa created history by becoming the first Indian woman gymnast to qualify for Olympics as she booked a berth for the Rio Games after a strong performance at the final qualifying and test event here.
Since the independence of the country, 11 Indian male gymnast have taken part in the Olympics (two in 1952, three in 1956 and six in 1964) but this will be the first for an Indian woman at the Olympics.