Boxer Gunjan wins medal for India at Dakar Games

Indian boxer Gunjan has brought laurels to the country by winning a medal in the women's 48 kg category at the Youth Olympics 2026 being held in Dakar. According to a Sportstar report, Gunjan entered the semi-finals by defeating Mexico's Atena Sofia Juarez Calero 5-0 in a match held on Tuesday, thereby ensuring a medal for India.

With Gunjan and fellow boxer Ambikar Meitei both winning medals, India's total medal tally is now poised to reach double digits. With this success, India's performance at the Dakar Games is seen to be steadily improving.

Other athletes have also achieved significant milestones in this competition. Shaurya Ambure won a bronze medal in the women's 100m hurdles event, recording a personal best time of 13.59 seconds. At the Complexe Iba Mar Diop, she became the first Indian woman to win a medal in Youth Olympics athletics among the nine women competing. This was India's fifth podium finish in athletics.

With Shaurya's medal, India's total medal count reached eight, including three silver and five bronze medals. In wrestling, Tania won a silver medal in the 75 kg category, securing India's first medal in youth wrestling. In the gold medal match held at the Sali Beach West venue, Tania lost 2-1 to China's Min Zhao, who was the 2025 U17 World Wrestling Champion.

In other sporting categories, Khushbu Rajkibhai Darjada won a silver medal in women's 63 kg judo and Tanvi Patri won a silver medal in badminton. In swimming, Dhinidhi Desingu won two bronze medals in the women's 100m and 200m freestyle events, while Tirthank Pegue secured a bronze medal in the men's 200m butterfly. Dhinidhi Desingu became the first Indian to win more than one medal in a single Youth Olympics event, while Tirthank Pegue won India's first medal in men's swimming in this event. Additionally, Rajkumari Lanchenbi Chanu won a bronze medal in the women's Chengquan combined wushu event.

India's best Youth Olympics campaign was in 2018 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where India won a total of 13 medals. These 13 medals included three gold, nine silver, and one bronze medal.