Who is Dhinidhi Desinghu, the first-ever swimming medallist at the Youth Olympic Games 2026

Indian athletes are making news at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games. Swimmer Dhinidhi Desinghu has won a bronze medal, and judoka Khushbu Darjada has reached a final.

Dhinidhi Desinghu Wins Bronze Medal in the Youth Olympic Games 2026

The 16-year-old won bronze in the women’s 100m freestyle at Dakar, Senegal. She is the first Indian female swimmer to win a medal at the Youth Olympics.

How did the Dhinidhi Desinghu race end?

Dhinidhi finished in 56.27 seconds. Croatia’s Ana Bobanovic took gold in 55.89 seconds, and New Zealand’s Alyssa Lawson won silver in 56.13 seconds. Only a fraction of a second separated the three medallists.

Dhinidhi had already become the first Indian female swimmer to qualify for a Youth Olympics final. She then went one step further and won a medal, a rare feat for Indian swimming at this level.

Khushbu Rajakbhai Darjada Becomes Only the Second Indian Judoka to Reach the Youth Olympic Games Final

Khushbu is a 15-year-old judoka competing in the women’s 63kg category. She reached the final by beating Dounia Berrahoual of Algeria in the semi-final, which guarantees her at least a silver medal.

Yes. In the final, she faces Germany’s Jolina Reinhold, a Cadet world champion. A win would make Khushbu the first Indian judoka to win Youth Olympic gold.

Who was India’s earlier judo medallist?

Thangjam Tababi Devi is India’s only judo medallist at the Youth Olympics so far. She won silver in the women’s 44kg category at the 2018 Games in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

About Youth Olympics 2026

Here are some key facts about the Dakar Youth Olympics 2026 Games: 

1. Dates: 31 October to 13 November 2026
2. Host: Senegal, across three zones: Dakar, Diamniadio and Saly
3. Significance: the first Olympic sports event ever hosted on the African continent
4. Motto: “Africa Welcomes, Dakar Celebrates”
5. Athletes: about 2,700 athletes aged 15–18 from over 200 countries
6. Refugee Olympic Team: takes part in the Youth Olympics for the first time
7. Gender balance: the first Youth Olympics with complete gender balance in athlete quotas
8. Sports: 25 medal sports, including Athletics, Aquatics, 3x3 Basketball, Boxing, Breaking and Skateboarding, plus 10 engagement sports such as Surfing, Sport Climbing and Weightlifting
9. Debuts: Baseball5 and Wushu make their competitive debut