Assam's Tirthank Pegu wins bronze at Youth Olympics, becomes first Indian male swimmer to clinch medal

Assam swimmer Tirthank Pegu scripted history at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Senegal on November 7, becoming the first Indian male swimmer to win a medal at the prestigious event after securing bronze in the men's 200m butterfly.

The 17-year-old from Jorhat clocked 2:01.25 in the final to finish third and claim a place on the podium. Egypt's Zain Ali won gold with a timing of 1:57.88, while Vietnam's Duong Van Hoang Quy secured silver in 2:00.32.

Pegu had entered the final on a strong note, topping the overall heats standings with a timing of 2:05.30. His bronze medal finish marked a significant achievement for Indian swimming and added to Assam's growing presence in international sporting events.

The achievement also came as a strong comeback for the young swimmer, who narrowly missed a podium finish in the men's 100m butterfly earlier in the competition. Pegu finished fourth in the event with a timing of 54.98 seconds, missing the bronze medal by just 0.27 seconds.

A junior national record holder, Pegu has previously demonstrated his potential on the international stage. He won silver in the men's 200m butterfly at the Asian Youth Games in Bahrain in 2025.

Hailing from Ramakrishna in Jorhat, Pegu began swimming at the age of five and has steadily emerged as one of India's promising young swimmers.

His achievement also adds to Assam's sporting legacy at the Youth Olympics. Boxer Shiva Thapa was the first athlete from the state to win a medal at the Games, securing silver at the inaugural edition in Singapore in 2010.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma congratulated Pegu on his achievement, saying the young swimmer had brought pride to the state and the country.

Taking to X, Sarma wrote, "Assam's son has made history! Heartiest congratulations to Tirthank Pegu on becoming the first Indian male swimmer to win a Youth Olympic Games medal. A moment of immense pride for Assam as one of our own makes the nation shine on the global stage. Keep soaring, Tirthank!"