Manipur’s Lairenlakpam Ambekar Meetei Scripts History, Wins India’s First-Ever Youth Olympics Boxing Gold

Manipur Boxer Ambekar Meetei Creates History With India’s First Youth Olympics Gold

Lairenlakpam Ambekar Meetei has etched his name in Indian sporting history by becoming the country’s first boxer to win a gold medal at the Youth Olympics. The young pugilist from Manipur achieved the milestone at the Dakar Games, defeating Ireland’s Kristian Jubani in the men’s 50kg final.

The Indian boxer clinched the title with a hard-fought 3-2 victory in a contest that went down to the final round. His triumph marked a major breakthrough for India’s boxing campaign and brought the country’s first gold medal at the ongoing competition.

The final was far from straightforward for Ambekar Meetei. Jubani dominated the opening round, securing the approval of all five judges. However, the Manipuri boxer refused to give up and mounted an impressive comeback in the second round, which three judges awarded in his favour.

With the contest finely balanced, Ambekar Meetei raised his game in the deciding round. Four judges favoured the Indian, allowing him to overturn the early deficit and secure a memorable victory.

The achievement places Ambekar Meetei in an exclusive category of Indian boxers who have won medals at the Youth Olympics. At the 2010 Singapore edition, Shiv Thapa secured silver in the men’s 54kg category, while Vikas Krishan won bronze in the men’s 60kg division. Ambekar Meetei has now become the first Indian to claim the boxing gold at the prestigious youth event.

India’s Medal Campaign At Dakar

The victory provided a significant boost to India’s overall performance at the Dakar Youth Olympics. Before the boxing final, the Indian contingent had accumulated three silver and five bronze medals across various sporting disciplines.

India’s silver medals came from badminton, judo and beach wrestling, while its bronze-medal winners secured podium finishes in swimming, women’s 100m hurdles and Wushu.

Ambekar Meetei’s historic performance has now added a gold to India’s growing medal collection, giving the contingent a memorable moment at the international multi-sport event.

For Manipur, the young boxer’s achievement is another proud addition to its sporting legacy. His comeback victory against a strong Irish opponent has also highlighted the determination and competitive spirit of India’s emerging boxing talent.