Historic Bronze! Manipur's Lanchenbi Chanu Becomes First Indian Wushu Medallist at Youth Olympics

India’s Rajkumari Lanchenbi Chanu scripted a historic chapter in the country’s sporting journey on Tuesday, becoming the first Indian athlete to win a wushu medal at the Youth Olympic Games after clinching bronze in the women’s Changquan combined event at Dakar, Senegal.

The young athlete from Manipur secured third place with an overall score of 18.039 points, finishing behind Egypt’s Sondos Sonbol, who won gold with 18.660 points, and Venezuela’s Valeria Frannerys Dudamel, who claimed silver with 18.199 points.

Chanu delivered a strong performance across the two disciplines that make up the combined event. She finished second in Changquan, scoring 9.316 points, before securing third place in Gunshu with 8.723 points. Her combined effort was enough to earn her a place on the podium and establish a new milestone for Indian wushu.

The medal is particularly significant for Indian sports, as it marks the country’s first-ever wushu podium finish at the Youth Olympic Games, bringing international recognition to the sport and highlighting the growing presence of Indian athletes in martial arts competitions.

With Chanu’s bronze, India’s medal tally at the Dakar Youth Olympics has increased to three medals: one silver and two bronze.

Earlier, on Monday, Khushbu Rajakbhai won silver, becoming only the second Indian judoka to reach the Youth Olympics podium. Swimming sensation Dhinidhi Desinghu also added to India’s medal count by winning bronze in the women’s 100m freestyle.

Chanu’s achievement adds another memorable moment to India’s campaign, while putting Manipur and Indian wushu firmly in the spotlight on the international stage.