16-Year Wait Ends: Manipur’s Ambekar Meetei Delivers India’s First Youth Olympics Boxing Gold
Indian boxing has a new piece of history to celebrate, and it has come from Manipur. Lairenlakpam Ambekar Meetei has become the first Indian boxer to win a gold medal at the Youth Olympic Games, ending a 16-year wait for the country in the competition.
Xtratime Webdesk: Indian boxing has a new piece of history to celebrate, and it has come from Manipur. Lairenlakpam Ambekar Meetei has become the first Indian boxer to win a gold medal at the Youth Olympic Games, ending a 16-year wait for the country in the competition.
Competing in the men’s 50kg category at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympics, Meetei held his nerve in a closely fought final against Ireland’s Kristian Jubani. The Indian eventually secured a 3-2 split-decision victory to claim the gold and write his name into the history books.
Meetei’s achievement is particularly significant because India’s previous Youth Olympics boxing milestone came back in 2010, when Shiva Thapa won a silver medal in the 54kg category. Sixteen years later, Meetei not only brought India back to a Youth Olympics boxing final but went all the way to the top of the podium.
His route to the gold medal underlined his consistency throughout the tournament. After progressing from the opening round, Meetei produced a dominant 5-0 victory against Senegal’s Faye Cheikh Ibrahima Fall in the quarter-finals. He followed that with another 5-0 win over Colombia’s Izzon Jeffrey Galea Arevalo in the semi-final to book his place in the title bout.
The final, however, demanded a different level of composure. Jubani took the opening round on all five judges’ cards, putting Meetei under early pressure. The Indian responded strongly in the second before producing a decisive third round. Four of the five judges eventually favoured Meetei, handing him a memorable victory.
For Manipur, the triumph adds another chapter to its rich sporting legacy. Having trained at the National Institute of Sports in Patiala, Meetei has now announced himself on the international stage in spectacular fashion.
With India also represented in another Youth Olympics boxing final through Gunjan in the women’s 48kg category, Dakar has already become a landmark Games for Indian boxing.
