Tirthank Pegu of Assam won bronze in the 200m butterfly at the Dakar Youth Olympics in 2:01.25, becoming the first Indian male swimmer to win a Youth Olympic medal. Egypt’s Zain Ali took gold in 1:57.88 and Vietnam’s Duong Van Hoang Quy silver.
Dakar, Senegal: Tirthank Pegu had already come close once at these Games. After finishing fourth in the 100m butterfly, narrowly missing a medal, the Assam swimmer made sure of one in the longer event on Friday.
A podium in the 200m butterfly
Pegu touched in 2:01.25 to take bronze in the men’s 200m butterfly final. Egypt’s Zain Ali won gold in 1:57.88, with Vietnam’s Duong Van Hoang Quy taking silver. The medal makes Pegu the first Indian male swimmer to win a medal at a Youth Olympic Games. It follows Dhinidhi Desinghu’s 100m freestyle bronze earlier in the week, which was India’s first Youth Olympic swimming medal of any kind.
Reaction at home and from the pool deck
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma congratulated Pegu on Saturday, writing: “Assam’s son has made history!” His coach, Sandeep Sejwal, said he was slightly disappointed, believing Pegu was capable of gold or silver.
Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games, men’s 200m butterfly final, Friday 6 November 2026: 1 Zain Ali (Egypt) 1:57.88; 2 Duong Van Hoang Quy (Vietnam); 3 Tirthank Pegu (India) 2:01.25.
