Taniya won silver in the women’s 75kg beach wrestling at the Dakar Youth Olympics, losing the final 1-2 to China’s Zhao Min after four straight wins. It is India’s first Youth Olympic medal in the sport, which made its debut at the Games.
Saly, Senegal: Taniya went through the 75kg draw without losing a bout, and then lost the only one that mattered by a single point. The silver medal she took home from Saly Beach West on Saturday is still a landmark: no Indian wrestler had won a beach wrestling medal at the Youth Olympics before.
A clean run to the final
Taniya started with two group-stage wins in Group B. She beat Germany’s Mia Mauer 3-1 and Greece’s Vasiliki Karavanou 3-1, both by technical superiority. In the quarter-final she beat Estonia’s Merily Vaester 4-1, again by technical superiority, and in the semi-final she beat Matilda Ann Hruby of the United States 3-1 to reach the gold-medal match.
One point short in the final
The final against China’s Zhao Min was much tighter. Taniya took an early 1-0 lead, but Zhao quickly drew level and then scored the decisive point. The bout finished 1-2 on points, ending Taniya’s unbeaten run in the competition.
A growing Dakar tally
The silver adds to a Youth Olympic medal haul that has been growing steadily for India. Tanvi Patri won badminton singles silver earlier in the week, Dhinidhi Desinghu and Khushbu Darjada had won swimming and judo medals, and Tirthank Pegu’s 200m butterfly bronze followed. Taniya’s result opens a new sport on that list.
On the same day Deepanshu Khokhar lost all three group bouts in the men’s 80kg beach wrestling, and archer Gatha Khadake won her opening elimination round 6-0.
Result: Women’s 75kg beach wrestling, Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games, Saly Beach West, 7 November 2026. Silver: Taniya (India), who lost the final 1-2 to China’s Zhao Min. Taniya’s bouts: beat Mia Mauer (GER) 3-1, Vasiliki Karavanou (GRE) 3-1, Merily Vaester (EST) 4-1 and Matilda Ann Hruby (USA) 3-1.
