India, Nov. 9 -- For the last four years from the moment Shourya Ambure knew about the existence of the Youth Olympic Games, to the past year that she spent recovering from a knee surgery, the 17-year-old kept the 2026 edition at the forefront of her ambitions and motivation.

Competing in her first international race after the surgery, all the 100m hurdler from Thane had set out to do was give her best for India. She did just that, twice, to win the women's 100m hurdles bronze medal at the Dakar Youth Olympics with a timing of 13.59 seconds on Sunday. Shourya is the first Indian female track athlete to medal at the Youth Olympics.

"There were only tears in her eyes, my eyes, and her parents' eyes," Ajit Kulkarni, Shourya's coach, told H...