Ambekar Meetei Lairenlakpam beat Ireland’s Kristian Jubani 3-2 in the men’s 50kg final in Dakar
The victory gave India its first boxing gold at the Youth Olympic Games
The Manipur teenager began boxing in 2018 after his maternal uncle Khadem Sukumar encouraged him
Ambekar Meetei Lairenlakpam became India’s first boxing gold medallist at the Youth Olympic Games after beating Ireland’s Kristian Jubani 3-2 in the men’s 50kg final at Dakar on Thursday. The 2026 edition delivered a landmark moment for Indian boxing as the Manipur teenager held his nerve in a tight title bout.
The win marked India’s first gold in boxing at the Youth Olympics and took the country beyond its earlier best results in the competition. Ambekar’s rise in Dakar capped a journey that began with a family nudge to enter the sport in 2018.
That journey runs from Imphal to the top of the podium in Dakar. It also puts focus on the teenager’s early start, his training base, the coaches who backed him and the run of bouts that ended with a split-decision victory over Jubani.
From Uncle's Suggestion
It started at home.
Ambekar took up boxing in 2018 after his maternal uncle, Khadem Sukumar, noticed his physical build and urged him to try the sport. “My uncle felt I had a strong physique and encouraged me to try boxing,” Ambekar had said before the Games.
He studies at the National Sports Academy at Khuman Lampak Sports Complex in Imphal. From there, he began building his boxing career step by step before moving into bigger stages.
Coaches Backed Talent
His progress came steadily.
Ambekar climbed through the junior boxing ranks and later earned a chance to train at the national camp in Patiala. That exposure pushed him into a stronger competitive lane ahead of Dakar.
He has trained under Vijay Kumar Sharma and Geeta Chanu Oinam. “He is physically very fit. He has excellent strength and is technically very sound. He is a very talented boxer and has a bright future,” Vijay Kumar Sharma had said before the competition.
Road To The Final
He arrived in form.
Earlier this year, Ambekar won silver at the World Boxing Futures Cup in Bangkok. He carried that momentum into Dakar and put together a commanding run to the final.
His campaign opened with a referee-stops-contest win over Namibia’s Abraham Kalenga in the first round. He then dominated Senegal’s Cheikh Ibrahima Fall Faye 5-0 in the quarterfinals.
The semifinal was just as one-sided. Ambekar outclassed Colombia’s Izzon Jeffrey Galea Arevalo by another unanimous 5-0 verdict to set up the gold-medal fight with Jubani.
Final Round Fightback
The final tested him.
Jubani controlled the opening round and all five judges scored it for the Irish boxer. Ambekar then turned the bout in the second round by forcing a standing eight count and shifting the momentum.
He finished with purpose in the third. A strong right hand helped seal a 3-2 split-decision win and the biggest title of his young career
Historic Indian Milestone
The gold changes India’s record books.
At the inaugural Youth Olympics in Singapore in 2010, Shiva Thapa won silver and Vikas Krishan took bronze. Those medals had stood as India’s best boxing results at the event.
Sixteen years later, Ambekar became the first Indian boxer to win gold at the competition. From taking up boxing on his uncle’s suggestion in 2018 to topping the podium in Dakar, he has delivered a landmark moment for Indian boxing and announced himself as a promising young talent from Manipur.
