Rajkumari Chanu scripts history with maiden Wushu bronze at Youth Olympics Games

Rajkumari Chanu

NEW DELHI: Indian wushu celebrated a landmark moment at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games as Rajkumari Lanchenbi Chanu clinched a historic bronze medal in the women’s Changquan combined event, becoming the first Indian to win a Wushu medal at the prestigious multi-sport competition.Chanu secured the third position in the final with an aggregate score of 18.039 points, putting together impressive performances in both disciplines. She scored 8.723 points in Gunshu before adding 9.316 points in Changquan to seal her place on the podium.The medal is a significant breakthrough for Indian wushu, a sport in which the country has been striving to establish a stronger presence on the international stage. Chanu’s achievement has not only brought recognition to her individual efforts but also offered a major boost to the sport’s growing ambitions in India.Her podium finish also took India’s medal tally at the ongoing Games to three. The young wushu exponent followed the medal-winning performances of Khushbu Rajakbhai Darjada, who claimed silver in the women’s 63kg judo category, and swimmer Dhinidhi Desinghu, who secured bronze in the women’s 100m freestyle.

Both had delivered their performances on Monday.Chanu’s success is expected to provide fresh impetus to the development of wushu among India’s younger sporting generation. Her performance underlines the potential of emerging Indian athletes to compete against the best at the international level.The historic podium finish is also a reward for the efforts of her coaches, support personnel and the wider wushu fraternity, who have contributed to her development.For Indian sport, Chanu’s bronze represents more than another addition to the medal count. It marks a breakthrough for a discipline seeking greater recognition and gives aspiring wushu athletes a new benchmark to aim for.