Dhinidhi Desinghu Secures Historic Bronze at Dakar 2026 Youth Olympics

India's Dhinidhi Desinghu, a 16-year-old swimmer, has achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first Indian female swimmer to win a medal at the Youth Olympics. Competing at the 2026 edition of the event in Dakar, Senegal, Desinghu secured a bronze medal in the women's 100m freestyle, clocking 56.27 seconds. She finished behind Croatia's gold medallist Ana Bobanovic, who timed 55.89 seconds, and New Zealand's Alyssa Lawson, who took silver with 56.13 seconds.

Following her historic win, Desinghu's coach, Nihar Ameen, spoke to NDTV, highlighting her dedication. Ameen stated, "She has been working really hard. This year, she has broken the national record three times. She is in form." He expressed optimism about her future prospects, noting, "She has another shot at a medal in the 200m freestyle event. In fact, she has a better chance of winning another medal there." Ameen also emphasized her mental toughness and previous experience, mentioning, "Dhinidhi is mentally very tough. She has already competed at the 2024 Paris Olympics. We are very hopeful that she will win another medal at this Youth Olympics."

Desinghu's medal-winning performance followed her becoming the first Indian female swimmer to qualify for a Youth Olympics final. She advanced to the women's 100m freestyle medal race on Monday after topping her heat with a time of 56.80 seconds, making her the third-fastest overall in the heats. In the qualification rounds, she was also behind Croatia's Ana Bobanovic (56.22 seconds) and New Zealand's Alyssa Lawson (56.53 seconds). Other Indian swimmers who have reached a Youth Olympics final include two-time Olympian Srihari Nataraj in 2018 and Tirthank Pegu in the ongoing edition. Dhinidhi was also the youngest member of the Indian contingent at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

In related news from the ongoing Youth Olympics, Khushbu Rajakbhai Darjada, a 15-year-old Indian judoka, secured a victory in her women's 63kg category bout. She defeated Mamaissata Camara of Guinea with a 1-0 score, achieving the win by yuko in her round-of-16 match. A yuko is defined as a minor scoring point awarded in judo for an effective technique. During the bout, Khushbu's opponent also received a minor penalty, "1er Shido," for a rule infringement such as passivity or an illegal grip.

What to watch: Dhinidhi Desinghu's 200m freestyle event at the Youth Olympics.

Editor's note: Covers all key facts from the source, including the swimmer's performance, coaching quotes, and the additional context about the judoka.