16-year-old Indian swimmer Dhinidhi Desinghu has made history at the Youth Olympics 2026. She won a bronze medal in the women's 100-meter freestyle event in Dakar, Senegal, becoming the first Indian female swimmer to win a medal at the Youth Olympics. Dhinidhi completed the race in 56.27 seconds, breaking her own national record. Her previous record stood at 56.57 seconds, set during the Indian Championships in Ahmedabad on June 18. In this event, Ana Bobanović from Croatia won the gold medal with a time of 55.89 seconds, while New Zealand's Alyssa Lawson finished second with a time of 56.13 seconds. Despite her young age, Dhinidhi's career is already marked by significant achievements. In 2024, she represented India at the Paris Olympics. At just 14 years old, she was the youngest athlete in the Indian contingent. She competed in the women's 200-meter freestyle event, finishing in 23rd place overall. At that time, participating in the Olympics served more as a valuable learning experience for her than a quest for victory. However, her approach at the Dakar Youth Olympics was different. This time, she entered the event not just for the experience, but with the intention of winning a medal. Dhinidhi’s coach, Nihar Amin, is also very pleased with her performance. According to him, Dhinidhi is working hard and is currently in good form.
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