India’s impressive medal run at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games received another boost as boxer Gunjan secured a place in the women’s 48kg semifinals with a commanding 5-0 victory over Mexico’s Atena Sofia Juarez Calero on Tuesday. The win guarantees India another medal at the Games, further strengthening its campaign as the country’s young athletes continue to make their presence felt across disciplines in Senegal.
Gunjan produced a dominant performance in the quarterfinal at the Dakar Expo Centre, leaving little room for her Mexican opponent to take control of the contest. The unanimous 5-0 decision confirmed her progression into the last four, where a place in the final will now be at stake. The result is particularly important for the Indian contingent, which has already secured medals in athletics, swimming, badminton, judo, beach wrestling and wushu. With Gunjan now assured of a podium finish, India has another opportunity to move closer to double digits in its overall medal tally.
The victory also adds to the growing significance of India’s boxing campaign, with fellow pugilist Ambekar Meetei Lairenlakpam also among the medal-winning prospects at the Games. India’s boxing campaign received another significant boost as Lairenlakpam Ambekar Meetei also stormed into the men’s 50kg semifinals, assuring the country a second medal in the sport. Ambekar delivered a dominant performance against Namibia’s Abraham Kalenga in the quarterfinal, with the referee stopping the contest at 1 minute and 57 seconds of the opening round following the Indian’s commanding display.
The victory followed another impressive outing against Senegal’s Cheikh Ibrahima Fall Faye, whom Ambekar defeated 5-0 in the preceding round. His progression into the last four means both Indian boxers have secured at least bronze medals, taking India’s boxing medal count to two at the Dakar Games. Ambekar is scheduled to face Colombia’s Izzon Jeffrey Galea Arevalo in the semifinal, while Gunjan will also compete in the women’s 48kg medal rounds.
Gunjan’s achievement is particularly noteworthy as she becomes the first Indian female boxer to secure a Youth Olympic medal. India’s growing medal tally has also been strengthened by an impressive performance in athletics, where Shourya Ambure claimed bronze in the women’s 100m hurdles. The Indian clocked a personal best of 13.59 seconds at the Complexe Iba Mar Diop, finishing among the medal winners in a nine-athlete field. Her achievement carries historical significance as she became the first Indian woman to win an athletics medal at the Youth Olympic Games.
The bronze was also India’s fifth athletics podium finish in Youth Olympics history, underlining the country’s growing presence in track and field at the junior international level. India’s campaign has witnessed podium finishes across multiple disciplines, with young athletes making their mark in individual and team competitions.
– Sresht Raju Mantena: Gold in equestrian open jumping.
– Taniya: Silver in women’s 75kg beach wrestling.
– Khushbu Rajakbhai Darjada: Silver in women’s 63kg judo.
– Tanvi Patri: Silver in women’s badminton singles.
– Shourya Ambure: Bronze in women’s 100m hurdles.
– Dhinidhi Desinghu: Bronze in women’s 100m and 200m freestyle swimming.
– Tirthank Pegu: Bronze in men’s 200m butterfly.
– Rajkumari Lanchenbi Chanu: Bronze in women’s changquan wushu.
With Gunjan and Ambekar now assured of boxing medals, India’s confirmed medal tally has moved into double digits. The official results record nine medals before the two boxing podium finishes, taking the country’s haul to at least 11. India’s performances in Dakar have revived memories of its remarkable campaign at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
The country enjoyed its most successful outing at the event in 2018, finishing with 13 medals comprising three gold, nine silver and one bronze. At the previous edition in Buenos Aires, Indian athletes delivered memorable performances across several disciplines, establishing a benchmark for the country’s youth sporting programme. Dakar 2026 now offers another opportunity for the next generation of Indian athletes to challenge that record.
The ongoing edition is particularly historic as it marks the first Olympic sporting event to be hosted on African soil. Around 2,650 young athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees are participating across 25 sports, with competitions taking place in Dakar, Diamniadio and Saly. India’s performance at the Dakar Youth Olympics is significant not just because of the growing medal tally, but also because of the range of disciplines in which its young athletes are delivering results.
From swimming and athletics to badminton, wrestling, judo, wushu and boxing, the Indian contingent has demonstrated competitive depth across individual sports. Gunjan and Ambekar’s achievements are particularly encouraging for Indian boxing, with the two youngsters ensuring representation on the podium in both men’s and women’s categories. Shourya Ambure’s historic athletics bronze and Dhinidhi Desinghu’s multiple swimming medals further underline the importance of nurturing talent beyond traditionally successful sporting disciplines.
The next benchmark will be whether India can challenge its record of 13 medals from Buenos Aires 2018. With the boxing semifinals still to come and other competitions continuing, the opportunity to improve that record remains alive. For Indian sport, Dakar is becoming more than a medal-winning campaign. It is an indication of the talent emerging through the country’s youth sporting pipeline and the possibilities that lie ahead.
