Daughter of bus driver, gymnast Pranati Nayak, reaches Tokyo Olympics!

New Delhi, May 4: India gymnast Pranati Nayak, who had claimed a bronze in a vault at the Asian Artistic Gymnastics Championships in 2019, is set to compete at the Tokyo Olympics after qualifying through the continental quota. She became India's only gymnast at the Olympics.

 

The 26-year-old from West Bengal is the second reserve behind Sri Lanka's Elpitiya Badalge Dona Milka Geh for the Asian quota and became eligible to compete from the zone following the cancellation of the 9th Senior Asian Championships, which was scheduled to be held from May 29-June 1 in Hangzhou, China, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

"I was very disappointed when I couldn't achieve the qualifying score during the 2019 World Championship and with the pandemic canceling all events, I never imagined that I will be able to realize this dream of going to the Olympics," Nayak told to news agency. "I am now waiting for the official communication from the Asian or world body regarding the same," Nayak added.

 

 

Nayak had totaled 45.832 at the world championships after scoring 14.200 in the vault, 11.133 in floor exercise, 10.566 in bar, and 9.933 in the beam. "I have kept myself fit and kept training during this pandemic even though no events were happening."

 

 

Asked if Nayak was under Target Olympics Scheme (TOPS), she said, "I was for a year and a half till the 2018 Asian Games. Now that I have qualified, I hope I am back in the scheme. I want to train hard in the next few months and put up a good show at Olympics," she added.