Dhinidhi Desinghu Creates History With Bronze in Women’s 100m Freestyle at Youth Olympics 2026

India’s Dhinidhi Desinghu scripted history by winning the bronze medal in the women’s 100m freestyle final at the 2026 Youth Olympic Games, becoming the country’s first-ever swimming medallist on the global stage across any age group.

The 16-year-old Indian swimmer clocked 56.27 seconds to finish third in a competitive final, adding a historic medal to India’s campaign at the Youth Olympic Games in Dakar.

Croatia’s Ana Bobanović clinched the gold medal with a timing of 55.89 seconds, while New Zealand’s Alyssa Lawson secured silver in 56.13 seconds. Desinghu finished just 0.14 seconds behind Lawson, narrowly missing out on the silver medal.

Desinghu had a reaction time of 0.70 seconds and completed the first 50 metres in 27.31 seconds. She maintained her challenge in the second half of the race to secure a place on the podium.

The bronze medal represents a major breakthrough for Indian swimming. Despite the country’s participation in international swimming competitions over the years, an Indian swimmer had never previously won a medal at the global level across any age category.

At just 16, Desinghu has now broken that barrier with a landmark performance in the 100m freestyle final.

Her achievement is a significant moment for Indian sport and could inspire a new generation of swimmers to pursue international success. With a historic Youth Olympic Games podium finish already secured, Dhinidhi Desinghu has announced herself on the global stage.