Ambekar Meetei, Gunjan Win India’s First Youth Olympics Boxing Golds:

Indian boxing entered a historic new era on Thursday, November 12, 2026, at the 2026 Summer Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, Senegal, as teenage prodigies Lairenlakpam Ambekar Meetei and Gunjan delivered India’s first-ever gold medals in boxing at the Youth Olympics. Competing on Day 12 of the historic first Olympic event hosted on African soil, the two-member Indian boxing contingent achieved a flawless 100 percent gold-medal conversion rate within a matter of minutes—propelling India’s overall tally in Dakar to 10 medals (two gold, three silver, and five bronze) and lifting the nation from 58th to 16th place on the overall standings.

First into the ring, Ambekar Meetei captured the men’s 50kg gold medal via a gripping 3–2 split decision over Ireland’s Kristian Jubani. Moments later, Gunjan produced a masterclass in the women’s 48kg final, defeating Algeria’s Bouthaina Bensalah by a unanimous 5–0 verdict to become the first Indian woman boxer ever crowned Youth Olympic champion. The twin triumphs sparked celebrations across India—from Manipur and Haryana to Lucknow, New Delhi, Patiala, and Mumbai.

Breaking a 16-Year Gold Drought: Surpassing Shiva Thapa and Vikas Krishan’s 2010 Benchmarks

Before Thursday’s golden double in the Senegalese capital, India had won just two boxing medals in Youth Olympic Games history—both achieved sixteen years earlier at the inaugural 2010 Singapore Youth Olympics:

Shiva Thapa (Singapore 2010): Claimed India’s previous best Youth Olympic boxing finish with a silver medal in the boys’ 54kg division.

Vikas Krishan (Singapore 2010): Secured a bronze medal in the boys’ 60kg category.

By stepping onto the top step of the podium twice on the same evening, Ambekar and Gunjan doubled India’s all-time Youth Olympics boxing medal haul and secured India’s first gold medals of the Dakar 2026 campaign.

Ambekar Meetei’s Road to Gold: From Manipur and NIS Patiala to Dakar Glory

Hailing from Manipur—the cradle of Indian boxing—and honing his craft at the National Institute of Sports (NIS) in Patiala under coaches Geeta Chanu Oinam and Vijay Kumar Sharma, Ambekar Meetei displayed remarkable tactical poise throughout the tournament:

Quarter-Final: Stopped Namibia’s Abraham Kalenga via a dominant first-round Referee Stopped Contest (RSC) victory to assure India of a medal.

Semi-Final: Outclassed Colombia’s Izzon Jeffrey Galea Arevalo by a commanding 5–0 unanimous decision.

Gold Medal Bout: Engaged in a razor-sharp tactical battle against Ireland’s Kristian Jubani, keeping his composure under intense pressure in the final round to edge a 3–2 split decision and etch his name as India’s first-ever Youth Olympic boxing gold medallist.

Gunjan’s Unstoppable Run: Avenging World Cup Loss Before 5–0 Final Sweep

Representing Haryana—hailing from Dhana Kalan village in Hansi district and training at the Manjeet Lohan Boxing Club in Hisar—Gunjan turned in one of the most authoritative campaigns of the Dakar Games:

Quarter-Final: Blanked Mexico’s Atena Sofia Juarez Calero 5–0 to guarantee a podium finish.

Semi-Final: Scored a gritty 4–1 victory over Great Britain’s Lily Bassett—avenging a 5–0 defeat she had suffered against the same British opponent in the women’s 48kg final at the World Boxing Futures Cup in Bangkok.

Gold Medal Bout: Dominated all three rounds against Algeria’s Bouthaina Bensalah, earning top marks from all five ringside judges for a 5–0 unanimous triumph.

“Behind this gold medal, there have been a lot of sacrifices in my life,” Gunjan reflected after her victory, dedicating the milestone to her family and coaches.

India’s Dakar 2026 Youth Olympics Medal Breakdown

With the Dakar 2026 Closing Ceremony scheduled for Friday, November 13, the historic golden double by Ambekar Meetei and Gunjan stands out as the defining triumph of India’s campaign—signaling a formidable new generation of Indian boxers ready for senior Olympic and World Championship glory.