New Delhi: Star India gymnast Dipa Karmakar has just not yet given up on her dreams of qualifying for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, insists long-time coach Bishweshwar Nandi, after his ward failed to recover in time for next month's World Artistic Gymnastics Championship. Dipa's Tokyo dreams suffered a severe setback, when she failed to recover from a nagging right knee injury to make it to the World Championships, an Olympic qualifier, to be held at Stuttgart, Germany from October 4 to 13. Long-time coach Nandi admitted that the road to Olympics would be extremely tough considering Dipa will need at least two months to get back to training. "Dipa was upset after missing the World Championship but she is mentally strong and I know that she will make a successful comeback to international gymnastics," Nandi told PTI.

"She is still undergoing rehab. I will start her training only after getting a clearance from the doctor and the physio. As her coach, I need to think about (her) life beyond gymnastics as well. Hopefully by November end, we'll get the go ahead and after that another two months of training and she should be back." Asked about the Olympics qualification, Nandi said: "There are three World cups starting about three months after the world championship but it would be much tougher to qualify now. "She will need to win gold or silver in all the three World Cups next year to qualify. But she is taking it up as a challenge. We are not yet giving up hope. "If she unfortunately misses the Tokyo, there is 2024 Paris Olympics," Nandi put up a brave front. Dipa, who had put Indian gymnastics on the world map after her fourth place finish at the Rio Olympics, was out of action for almost two years due to a knee injury lay-off.