Youth Olympics: Ambekar and Gunjan herald a new boxing dawn in Dakar

KOLKATA: When the final bell rang at the Dakar on Thursday, it probably marked a watershed moment for Indian sports.In a historic Youth Olympics campaign that saw India win 10 medals from 17 athletes, boxing provided the brightest spark as Ambekar Meetei won India’s first-ever gold medal in the sport, a feat Gunjan soon followed to complete a remarkable double.For Ambekar, however, the magnitude of the achievement continued to decline.“It still feels like a dream. I want to thank my family, coaches and everyone in India who supported me. This medal is for my country,” said the boxer from Manipur after winning the men’s 50kg title.Triumf nebyl zdaleka tak jednoznačný. Ambekar lost the opening round on all five judges’ scorecards and suddenly found himself catching up. “I told myself not to panic. My trainers asked me to stay calm, get close and throw quick combinations. I knew there were still two rounds left, so I decided to give 100% and fight,” he recalled.The turning point came in the second round when a steady count turned the momentum in their favor. “After losing in the first round, that shot gave me a lot of confidence. It put pressure on my opponent and helped me take control,” said Ambekar after Ireland’s Kristian Jubani.The comeback reflected the quality that his coach Vijay Kumar Sharma believes defines the teenager.“Ambekar’s fighting spirit and willpower stood out throughout the tournament. He is tactically excellent and carries out instructions in the ring with remarkable discipline,” Sharma said.“Even after losing in the first round, he never lost faith and came back with a strong mindset. That resilience under pressure is what impressed me the most.”For Ambekar, who hails from Imphal East, the gold was not only a career-defining win but also the start of something bigger, including a trip to the Los Angeles Olympics.If Ambekar opened a golden chapter, Gunjan ensured that it ended equally historically. The youngster became the first Indian woman Olympic champion in youth boxing.Like Ambekar, her success was built on preparation and poise. “Before the final, I focused on my game plan. I knew exactly how I wanted to box and what I needed to do in the ring. My main goal was to believe in myself and stay confident,” said Gunjan, who won the women’s 48kg title with a victory over Bouthaina Bensalah of Algeria.For Gunjan, success meant more than the medal itself. “It’s a special moment for me and for the country. To win this gold medal and create history for India is a dream come true.”Their victories were the centerpiece of India’s most successful youth Olympic boxing campaign and contributed to a 10-medal haul that included two gold, three silver and five bronze medals.More importantly, Ambekar and Gunjan have delivered something that numbers cannot fully capture. In Dakar, they showed that the next generation of Indian boxing no longer only dreams of the Olympic podium. It’s getting on.