Indian Boxers Gunjan and L Ambekar Meetei Script History with Maiden Youth Olympic Gold Medals

New Delhi: Indian boxing celebrated a historic milestone at the 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, Senegal, on Thursday, with Gunjan (women’s 48kg) and L Ambekar Meetei (men’s 50kg) winning gold medals to give the country its first-ever boxing gold medals at the prestigious event.

The double gold also marked India's first gold medals at the Dakar Games, capping an outstanding campaign for the two-member boxing contingent, which maintained a perfect medal record by winning gold in both events.

"This is a historic moment for Indian boxing and Indian sport. Winning two gold medals at the Youth Olympic Games, with India also opening its gold medal account at the Dakar 2026 edition, makes this achievement even more special," said Boxing Federation of India president Ajay Singh.

He further noted that the victories were India's first-ever gold medals in boxing at the Youth Olympic Games.

India had previously won two boxing medals at the 2010 Youth Olympics in Singapore. Shiva Thapa secured silver in the men's 54kg category, while Vikas Krishan claimed bronze in the men's 60kg event. However, the country had been waiting for its first gold in the sport at the competition.

Ambekar Meetei ended that wait by overcoming Ireland's Jubani Kristian in a closely contested men's 50kg final. The Indian boxer secured a hard-fought 3:2 victory to open the country's gold medal account in Dakar.

Gunjan followed with an emphatic performance in the women's 48kg final against Algeria's Bensalah Bouthaina. She controlled the contest throughout all three rounds, earning a unanimous 5:0 decision to secure India's second gold of the day.

India had previously enjoyed a successful outing at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games, winning three gold medals overall, including two in shooting and one in wrestling. The double triumph in Dakar has now added another significant chapter to the country's Youth Olympic history.

With these victories, India's medal tally in Dakar stood at two gold, three silver and five bronze medals, taking the country from 58th to 16th position in the standings.

Congratulating the young champions, Singh highlighted the growing depth of talent in Indian boxing and the importance of developing promising athletes into successful senior-level competitors.

He said Indian boxers were delivering strong performances across age groups and international competitions, including the World Junior Championships, Youth Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games and Asian Games.

The federation's focus, he added, would be on strengthening this talent pipeline and ensuring that emerging champions receive the support needed to progress to the senior international level.

The twin gold medals are another encouraging sign for Indian boxing, which has established a strong presence across major international competitions, including the Olympic Games, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games and the Asian and World Championships.

Ambekar Meetei and Gunjan's achievements not only deliver a major boost to India's campaign in Dakar but also underline the potential of the country's next generation of boxers.

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