Lairenlakpam Ambekar Meetei has advanced to the men’s 50kg boxing final at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games. The Indian pugilist secured his place in the gold medal match after a dominant 5-0 victory against Colombia’s Izzon Jeffrey Galea Arevalo in the semifinal round held in Senegal.
Ambekar Meetei, who hails from Manipur and trains at the National Institute of Sports (NIS) in Patiala, won the bout through a unanimous points verdict. His performance in the ring ensured his progression to the final stage of the competition.
This achievement marks a significant milestone for Indian boxing at the Youth Olympics, ending a 16-year wait for an Indian athlete to reach a final in the sport. He now matches the feat previously accomplished by Shiva Thapa, who reached the final at the inaugural Singapore 2010 Games.
Key facts
- Lairenlakpam Ambekar Meetei competes in the men’s 50kg boxing category.
- The semifinal victory was decided by a 5-0 unanimous points verdict.
- His opponent in the semifinals was Colombia's Izzon Jeffrey Galea Arevalo.
- Ambekar Meetei is a trainee at the National Institute of Sports in Patiala.
- The win marks India's first Youth Olympics boxing final appearance since 2010.
Why it matters
By reaching the final, Ambekar Meetei is now in contention to secure a gold medal for India. The bout represents a historic return to the podium stage for the country at the Youth Olympic level in boxing.
Source: The Hindu
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