Dhinidhi Desinghu Creates History, Enters Youth Olympics Swimming Final

Indian swimmer Dhinidhi Desinghu created history by becoming the first Indian female swimmer to qualify for a Youth Olympic Games final, advancing to the women's 100m freestyle medal race in Dakar, Senegal, on Monday.

The 16-year-old Bengaluru swimmer clocked 56.80 seconds to top Heat 9 and finish third overall in the qualifying rounds. Croatia's Ana Bobanovic led the standings with 56.22 seconds, followed by New Zealand's Alyssa Lawson, who recorded 56.53 seconds. Dhinidhi secured one of the eight places in the final.

Her achievement marks another milestone in her promising swimming career. She was the youngest member of India's contingent at the 2024 Paris Olympics, making her Olympic debut at the age of 14. She is also an Indian national record holder in multiple freestyle events.

Earlier this year, Dhinidhi won gold in the 200m freestyle at the 2026 Asian Age Group Championships in Bangkok, setting a national record. She is representing India in three events at Dakar — the 100m freestyle, 200m freestyle and 200m individual medley.

She joins Srihari Nataraj (2018) and Tirthank Pegu (2026) as the third Indian swimmer to reach a Youth Olympics final.

Meanwhile, in judo, Khushbu Rajakbhai Darjada registered a victory in the women's 63kg category, defeating Guinea's Mamaissata Camara in the round of 16. The 15-year-old secured a 1-0 win through a yuko, a minor scoring point awarded for an effective technique. Her opponent also received a Shido penalty for a minor rule infringement.

India has fielded a 17-member contingent, comprising six male and 11 female athletes, across 11 sports at Dakar 2026. The Games, being held from October 31 to November 13, mark the first Olympic sporting event hosted on African soil.