Rajkumari Lanchenbi Chanu makes history, wins India’s first wushu medal at Youth Olympics

Rajkumari Lanchenbi Chanu wrote the script for Indian wushu when she won a bronze medal in the women’s combined event in Changquan at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympics on Tuesday. She became the first Indian female wushu athlete to win a medal at the prestigious multi-sport event, marking a significant milestone for the sport in the country.

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The young Indian finished third with a total score of 18.039 points, combining her performances in Gunshu and Changquan. Egypt’s Sondos Sonbol won the gold medal with 18.660 points, while Venezuela’s Valeria Frannerys Dudamel Alvarado won the silver with 18.199 points.

A moment to cherish Rajkumari Lanchenbi Chanu! Watch her celebrate a podium finish at the Youth Olympics. #Dakar2026 #YouthOlympics #Wushu Olympic Khel (@OlympicKhel) November 3, 2026

The medal was particularly significant as wushu was making its debut at the Youth Olympics, giving India its first opportunity to compete for honors in the discipline.

CHANU SHINES IN CHANGQUAN TO SECURE BRONZE

Chanu put in a strong performance in two sets to finish on the podium. She scored 8.723 in Gunshu, a weapons-based routine, finishing fourth in the segment. However, she rebounded impressively in the Changquan, a bare-handed routine, to score 9.316 points to finish second among the eight finalists.

Her total score of 18.039 was good enough for third place overall ahead of Georgia’s Gvantsa Karchava, who finished fourth with 17.700 points. Courtesy: Olympics.com

Chanu entered the final as one of the medal contenders after finishing second in the preliminary round with 17.982 points. She scored 8.876 in Gunshu and 9.106 in Changquan to secure a place in the top eight.

The Indian made her ambitions clear even before the final. After qualifying, she said: “I’m going to take a medal and go home. Not just any medal actually, I’m going to take the gold.” While she fell short of her gold medal target, Chanu placed on the podium and created a landmark for Indian wushu.

The competition featured two sets, with athletes having to demonstrate their skills in both disciplines. The scores from Gunshu and Changquan were combined to determine the final ranking.

For Chana, the bronze is an important breakthrough on the international stage and takes India’s medal tally at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympics to three.

India has won one silver and two bronze medals so far. Khushbu Rajakbhai Darjada won silver in women’s judo (63kg) while Dhinidhi Desinghu won bronze in women’s 100m freestyle. Chanu’s wushu bronze added another historic moment to India’s Dakar campaign.

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