Gunjan won second boxing gold for India at the Youth Olympics with a dominant 5-0 win over Bensalah of Algeria

Indian Boxer Gunjan (Image credit: X) India’s golden run in boxing continued at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympics as Gunjan clinched the women’s 48kg gold medal with a commanding 5-0 victory over Bouthaina Bensalah of Algeria in the final on Thursday. The Indian boxer dominated the bout at the Dakar Expo Center with all five judges giving the score 30-27 in her favour.Gunjan maintained her composure and control throughout the three-round bout to secure a unanimous victory and add another gold to India’s boxing campaign.The win came after Lairenlakpam Ambekar Meetei made history by winning India’s first ever Youth Olympic gold in the men’s 50kg category. He defeated Ireland’s Kristian Jubani 3:2 in a closely contested final.

Gunjan’s dominant journey to the gold medal

Gunjan enjoyed an impressive campaign at the Dakar, maintaining an unbeaten record on her way to the podium. After getting a bye in the first round, the Indian boxer started her quarter-final campaign with a commanding 5-0 victory over Mexico’s Atena Sofia Juarez Calero to clinch a medal.She continued her impressive run in the semi-finals, defeating Great Britain’s Lily Bassett 4-1 to book her place in the gold medal match. The final against Bensalah proved to be another dominant performance for the Indian woman who secured a unanimous 5-0 verdict to end her campaign with a gold medal.

Bensalah’s journey to the final

Algeria’s Bouthaina Bensalah also produced an impressive run to reach the women’s 48kg final. She opened her campaign with a 5-0 win over Thailand’s Pemika Payungkas in the round of 16, before beating Nigeria’s Shukurat Mayowa by the same margin in the quarter-finals.Bensalah faced her toughest challenge in the semi-finals against Italy’s Michele Guglielmone, who eventually secured a narrow 3-2 victory to advance to the title match. However, she was unable to overcome Gunjan in the final and settled for the silver medal after the Indian dominated the judges’ scorecards.

Ambekar writes the history of India’s first Youth Olympics in boxing

Earlier, Lairenlakpam Ambekar Meetei created history by becoming India’s first ever gold medalist in boxing at the Youth Olympics. The Indian boxer beat Ireland’s Kristian Jubani 3-2 in the men’s 50kg final after a close contest, ending a 16-year wait for an Indian youth Olympic champion in boxing.