Indian Boxers Gunjan and L. Ambedkar Meitei to Represent at 2026 Dakar Summer Youth Olympics

Mumbai, October 30 (Daily Kiran) : Gunjan from Haryana and L. Ambedkar Meitei from Manipur will represent India in boxing at the upcoming Dakar Summer Youth Olympics 2026. The event is set to take place in Senegal from October 31 to November 13.

India has secured two boxing quotas for the Olympics, one in the men’s category and one in the women’s. Both boxers earned their spots by winning silver medals at the qualifying championship. According to the eligibility criteria for Dakar 2026, boxers were required to participate in the Under-19 World Boxing Future Cup held in the first quarter of 2026. Additionally, the national boxing federations participating had to be affiliated with World Boxing.

Boxing has been a part of every Summer Youth Olympic Games since the inaugural event in Singapore in 2010. The boxing competitions in Dakar will occur from November 7 to 12 at the Dakar Exhibition Center in Diamniadio. A total of 116 boxers from 77 National Olympic Committees will compete, with events split into five weight categories for both men and women. Men’s categories include 50 kg, 55 kg, 60 kg, 65 kg, and 70 kg, while women’s categories feature 48 kg, 51 kg, 54 kg, 57 kg, and 60 kg.

Recently, India has emerged as a strong contender in international boxing competitions. The nation has won medals at the Summer Olympics, Asian Games, and Commonwealth Games, and has also performed well at age-level events. Up until the 2018 edition, India had secured one silver and one bronze medal at the Summer Youth Olympic Games. The Dakar 2026 event will mark the fourth edition of these games, which began in 2010.

Originally scheduled for October 22 to November 9, 2022, the games were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They will now take place over 14 days in 2026, marking the first IOC event hosted in Africa and the first Youth Olympic Games under the presidency of Kirsty Coventry.