India’s Ambekar Meetei makes history with boxing gold at Dakar Youth Olympics

Ambekar Meetei Lairenlakpam India’s Lairenlakpam Ambekar Meetei scripted history at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympics when he won the men’s 50kg boxing gold after edging Ireland’s Kristian Jubani in a tight final.The Indian boxer secured the top prize with a 3-2 victory on the judges’ scorecards. In a close fight, three judges favored Ambekar Meetei, while the remaining two gave their verdict to his Irish opponent.The gold medal capped off an impressive campaign for the Manipuri boxer, who had earlier secured a place in the final with a commanding performance in the semi-finals.Ambekar Meetei defeated Colombia’s Izzo Jeffrey Galea Arevalo 5-0 to secure a unanimous points victory to advance to the gold medal match. His semi-final triumph was particularly significant as it ended India’s 16-year wait for a boxer in a Youth Olympic Games final.The milestone matched that of Shiva Thapa, who made it to the finals at the inaugural Youth Olympic Games in Singapore in 2010.Ambekar Meetei went one step further as he parlayed his final appearance into a gold medal, giving India a historic triumph in the men’s 50kg category.The young boxer hails from Manipur and trains at the National Institute of Sports (NIS) in Patiala. His Dakar gold medal is a memorable achievement for Indian boxing at the Youth Olympics.