Youth Asian Games: Six Indian Boxers Enter Finals, Secure at Least Six Medals
Six Indian boxers enter the Youth Asian Games finals, ensuring India at least six medals in boxing glory.
India's young pugilists delivered a historic performance at the 3rd Asian Youth Games 2025, with six boxers—five girls and one boy—storming into the finals on Tuesday, October 28, guaranteeing at least six medals and marking one of the country's most successful youth boxing campaigns at the continental level.
In dominant fashion, 15-year-old Khushi Chand (girls' 46 kg) crushed Mongolia's Altanzul Altangadas 5-0 to face China's Chen Fang-yu; Chandrika Pujari (54 kg) outclassed Kazakhstan's Ramina Makhanova 5-0 for a clash with Uzbekistan's Kumriniso Muhammadova; Harnoor Kaur (66 kg) blanked Chinese Taipei's Lu Wen-jing 5-0 to meet Kazakhstan's Ayaulym Ospanova; Anshika (+80 kg) edged China's Guo Jiaqing to challenge Kazakhstan's Elnura Kongyat; Ahaana Sharma (50 kg) eked out a 3-2 split decision over Uzbekistan's Nazokat Mardonova for DPR Korea's Ma Jong Hyang; and Lanchenba Singh Moibungkhongbam (boys' 50 kg) dismantled DPR Korea's An Phyong Guk 5-0 to take on Kazakhstan's Zhumagali Nurmakhan.
The Exhibition World Bahrain buzzed with Indian dominance, as the squad—trained rigorously at NS NIS Patiala under coaches Vinod Kumar and Jitender Raj Singh—clinched all semifinals, often unanimously, signalling technical mastery and mental fortitude ahead of Thursday's gold medal bouts. Anant Deshmukh secured a bonus bronze in the boys' category after a valiant semifinal loss, elevating India's boxing haul to seven assured medals. This surge aligns with the Games' role as qualifiers for the 2026 Youth Olympics in Dakar, spotlighting India's youth pipeline post-senior stars like Lovlina Borgohain and Nikhat Zareen.
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Beyond the ring, Yashita clinched gold in girls' 61 kg wrestling, edging Kazakhstan's Zhaidar Mukhat 5-5 on criteria after a 6-0 semifinal win over Kyrgyzstan's Akylai Chynybaeva—India's first in the discipline—while badminton aces Suryaksh Rawat, Vennala Kalagotla, Tankara Talasila, and mixed doubles pair Jaison Bjorn/Angel Punera advanced to quarters. The table tennis mixed duo Syndrela Das/Sarthak Arya reached the semifinals, and swimmer Dhinidhi Desinghu placed fifth in the girls' 100m freestyle (57.72s).
With 27 medals—four gold, 10 silver, and 13 bronze—India holds 11th overall at the October 22-31 multisport spectacle, featuring 222 athletes across 21 disciplines from 45 nations. Prior hauls of 11 (Singapore 2009) and 14 (Nanjing 2013) pale against this momentum, fuelled by kabaddi golds and weightlifting feats like Priteesmita Bhoi's world youth record. As finals loom, India's juniors eye a blockbuster close in Bahrain's spotlight.
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