The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has hailed the country’s young athletes for their record-breaking performance at the 3rd Asian Youth Games (AYG) held in Manama, Bahrain, where India clinched an impressive 48 medals, marking its most successful outing in the event’s history.
The IOA’s statement, released on Monday, praised the athletes’ “dedication, discipline, and commitment to excellence,” underlining how the achievement reflects the growing depth of India’s youth sporting ecosystem. The delegation of 222 athletes 103 boys and 119 girls competed across 21 disciplines, delivering results that position India as one of Asia’s fastest-rising sporting nations.
India’s 48-medal tally comprised 13 Gold, 18 Silver, and 17 Bronze, placing the country 6th among 45 participating nations its best-ever finish at the continental youth event. The result marks a dramatic leap from previous editions, where India managed 11 medals in 2009 and 14 in 2013.
The performance, according to IOA President Dr. P.T. Usha, represents the “growing strength and depth of India’s youth sporting ecosystem.” Speaking after the announcement, she said:
“The Indian Olympic Association takes immense pride in the exemplary performance of our young athletes. Their achievements reflect the future of Indian sport and the potential that lies within our youth. The IOA remains fully committed to providing every possible support to nurture and develop this emerging talent.”
The Games, held from October 22 to 31, 2025, also served as a key qualification pathway for the 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, amplifying their importance for India’s sporting future.
Where India Excelled
Combat sports once again proved to be India’s powerhouse. Boxing, wrestling, and kabaddi emerged as the cornerstone disciplines, collectively contributing over half of the medal tally.
- Boxing: India’s youth pugilists delivered a historic campaign with seven medals, including four golds all won by women. Khushi Chand (46kg), Ahaana Sharma (50kg), Chandrika Pujari (54kg), and Anshika (+80kg) dominated their respective categories, ensuring a clean sweep in the girls’ division.
- Wrestling & Beach Wrestling: The wrestlers accounted for 12 medals, including six golds, led by standouts like Jaiveer Singh, Moni, and Yashita in freestyle, and Anjali, Arjun Ruhil, and Sani Fulmali in beach wrestling.
- Kabaddi: India’s boys’ and girls’ teams remained undefeated, each claiming gold in commanding fashion. The girls’ 75–21 win over Iran was the largest margin ever recorded in a Youth Games kabaddi final.
Other notable performances came from Priteesmita Bhoi, who set a World Youth Record in weightlifting (44kg Clean & Jerk) while winning gold, and strong results in athletics, where India earned six medals though none were gold signaling progress but also highlighting areas for further improvement.
IOA’s Recognition and Rewards
In recognition of this extraordinary performance, the IOA announced a comprehensive cash reward program to honor medal winners, coaches, and near-podium finishers.
The awards are as follows:
- Gold Medallists: ₹5,00,000 each
- Silver Medallists: ₹3,00,000 each
- Bronze Medallists: ₹2,00,000 each
- 4th Place Finishers: ₹50,000 each
- Coaches of Medal-Winning Athletes: ₹1,00,000 each
- Kabaddi Boys’ and Girls’ Teams: ₹10,00,000 each
The inclusion of fourth-place finishers marks a notable policy shift, designed to maintain motivation among athletes narrowly missing podium finishes. This decision recognizes that the developmental journey of youth athletes is often defined by fine margins and that early reinforcement can prevent burnout or dropout.
Dr. Usha emphasized that these awards are “not just financial recognition but an investment in retention and motivation,” ensuring that young athletes remain inspired to progress toward senior-level excellence.
Youth Development Pipeline: A System Paying Off
The Bahrain performance also validates years of systemic investment in youth sport through programs such as Khelo India, National Centres of Excellence, and the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) feeder initiatives. The IOA’s centralized training model, with specialized camps at NS NIS Patiala and Sonepat, has begun to yield visible results, particularly in disciplines with high medal potential like boxing and wrestling.
Notably, India’s medal spread was wider than ever before, spanning 12 different sports, including weightlifting, athletics, swimming, judo, and taekwondo evidence of diversification and the gradual strengthening of non-traditional disciplines.
This broad-based success also underscores the rising influence of women’s sport in India. Female athletes accounted for nearly 55% of total medals, echoing the trends seen in senior-level events like the 2022 Asian Games and 2024 Olympics.
The 3rd Asian Youth Games doubled as a crucial qualification platform for the 2026 Youth Olympics in Dakar, Senegal. With several Indian athletes already earning qualification spots, the performance offers a strong indication of the nation’s competitiveness heading into global youth competition.
The IOA has pledged to integrate all AYG medal winners into sustained development programs. Priority will be given to high-potential athletes such as Priteesmita Bhoi and the four gold-winning boxers, who are expected to join the TOPS-Development list, ensuring access to world-class coaching, sports science, and international exposure.
The next challenge, experts note, is ensuring smooth transition from youth to senior levels a stage where India has often faltered due to gaps in funding, mentoring, and scientific conditioning. Addressing these bottlenecks will determine whether Bahrain’s promise translates into Olympic podiums in Paris 2028 and Los Angeles 2032.
Under Dr. Usha’s leadership, the IOA has emphasized aligning national competitions and policies with global performance standards. One of her proposals to limit National Games medal events to disciplines recognized in the Olympics, Asian Games, or Commonwealth Games aims to concentrate resources on Olympic-oriented sports for maximum impact.
She has also advocated for deeper integration of sports science, biomechanics, and data analytics at youth centers, ensuring India’s training environments evolve to match international best practices.
“Success at the Asian Youth Games is just the beginning,” Dr. Usha stated. “Our responsibility now is to convert this potential into sustained excellence. Every athlete who stood on the podium in Bahrain represents a story of what Indian sport can become.”
The 3rd Asian Youth Games 2025 will be remembered as a landmark in India’s sporting evolution not merely for its 48 medals, but for what those medals symbolize: structure, intent, and belief. The Indian Olympic Association’s timely recognition and financial rewards underscore a crucial shift from reactive celebration to strategic support.
As India eyes the Dakar Youth Olympics and beyond, this generation of young achievers carries not just medals but momentum the kind that can reshape the nation’s sporting future.
