Tanvi Sharma Makes History at Youth Olympics in Dakar

Indian badminton player Tanvi Sharma has made history by reaching the semi-finals of the Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, becoming the first Indian woman to achieve this feat. With a chance to win a medal, she faces Japan's Yuzuno Watanabe in the semi-finals. Additionally, India has secured three medals so far, including a historic bronze in wushu by Rajkumari Lanchenbi Chanu. The country is also celebrating successes in judo and swimming, as athletes continue to compete for more medals in the ongoing games.

By Narendra Chaudhary Nov 4, 2026, 22:12 IST

Tanvi Sharma Makes History at Youth Olympics

Indian badminton player Tanvi Sharma has made history by becoming the first woman from India to reach the semi-finals of the Youth Olympic Games, currently taking place in Dakar, Senegal. This remarkable achievement places her among a distinguished group of Indian badminton players who have reached the semi-finals at the Youth Olympics. Notably, HS Prannoy secured a silver medal at the inaugural event in Singapore in 2010, while Lakshya Sen was the runner-up at the 2018 Games in Buenos Aires. Additionally, Aditya Joshi reached the boys' singles semi-finals in 2014 but did not win a medal, as reported by the Badminton Association of India (BAI).

Aiming for a Historic Medal

Tanvi now has the chance to become the first Indian woman to earn a badminton medal at the Youth Olympics. A win in the semi-finals will ensure her a medal, while a loss will still provide her with an opportunity to compete for bronze. She is set to face Japan's Yuzuno Watanabe in the semi-finals. The two athletes previously met at the 2024 Pathum Thani Junior International Series in Thailand, where Tanvi lost with scores of 14-21, 10-21.

India's Medal Count Grows

India has already achieved three medals at the Dakar Games, with Rajkumari Lanchenbi Chanu contributing a historic bronze in the women's changquan combined wushu event on Tuesday. Rajkumari scored a total of 18.039, which included 8.723 in gunshu and 9.316 in changquan, securing third place. Egypt's Sondos Sonbol took home the gold with a score of 18.660, while Venezuela's Valeria Frannerys Dudamel Alvarado earned silver with 18.199. This bronze medal marks Rajkumari as India's first-ever wushu medallist at the Youth Olympics, where the sport is debuting as a medal event.

Achievements in Judo and Swimming

In addition, Khushbu Rajakbhai Darjada won a silver medal in the women's judo 63kg category, and Dhinidhi Desinghu made history as the first Indian swimmer to win a Youth Olympic medal, taking bronze in the women's 100m freestyle with a national record time of 56.27 seconds. Dhinidhi, aged 16, finished behind Croatia's Ana Bobanovic, who won gold in 55.89 seconds, and New Zealand's Alyssa Lawson, who secured silver in 56.13 seconds. With one silver and two bronze medals, India aims to further increase its medal tally as the Youth Olympic Games progress in Dakar.