India’s Dhinidhi Desinghu made history on Monday at the Youth Olympics in Dakar, Senegal, winning bronze in the women’s 100-meter freestyle to become the first Indian swimmer to win a medal across both the senior and Youth Olympic Games.
The 16-year-old from Bengaluru clocked 56.27 seconds, setting a new Indian national record and lowering her previous mark of 56.57, which she had established at the Indian Championships in Ahmedabad on June 18.
Croatia’s Ana Bobanovic won gold in 55.89, while New Zealand’s Alyssa Lawson claimed silver in 56.13.
Desinghu’s medal-winning performance came after a strong second-half swim. She was fifth at the 50-meter turn in 27.31 seconds but produced a strong finish over the final 50 meters to move into third place and secure the bronze medal.
The result marks a historic breakthrough for Indian swimming, with Desinghu becoming the first swimmer from the country to reach the podium.
Her journey to the podium has also been notable. Desinghu previously recalled that she was initially afraid of swimming and did not even want to enter a pool. She disliked putting her head underwater and struggled to get her feet into the water when she first started.
Now, at 16, she has become the first Indian swimmer to win a medal, adding a historic chapter to the country’s swimming history.
