India’s Lairenlakpam Ambekar Meetei scripted history at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games, striking gold in the men’s 50kg boxing event after edging past Ireland’s Kristian Jubani in a closely fought final.The Indian boxer secured a 3-2 victory on the judges’ scorecards to claim the top prize. In a tightly contested bout, three judges favoured Ambekar Meetei, while the remaining two awarded their verdict to his Irish opponent.The gold medal capped an impressive campaign for the Manipuri boxer, who had earlier booked his place in the final with a commanding performance in the semifinals.Ambekar Meetei defeated Colombia’s Izzon Jeffrey Galea Arevalo 5-0 to secure a unanimous points victory and move into the gold medal bout. His semifinal triumph was particularly significant as it ended India’s 16-year wait for a boxer to reach the final of the Youth Olympics.The milestone matched the achievement of Shiva Thapa, who had made it to the final at the inaugural Youth Olympic Games in Singapore in 2010.Ambekar Meetei went a step further by converting his final appearance into a gold medal, giving India a historic triumph in the men’s 50kg category.Hailing from Manipur, the young boxer trains at the National Institute of Sports (NIS) in Patiala. His gold medal in Dakar marks a memorable achievement for Indian boxing at the Youth Olympic Games.
