Prachi Assures India’s Third Medal at World Boxing U-19 Championships in Montenegro

The Indian boxer defeated Italy’s Tommaso Orlando 5:0 to enter the men’s 55kg semifinals, joining Prachi Tokas and Megha Sheokand among India’s assured medallists at the championships.

India’s medal tally at the 2026 World Boxing U-19 Championships continued to grow as Aditya became the first Indian male boxer to secure an assured medal with a commanding quarterfinal victory in Budva, Montenegro, on Saturday.

Aditya defeated Italy’s Tommaso Orlando 5:0 in the men’s 55kg quarterfinal to book his place in the semifinals. He will next face Azerbaijan’s Nihat Gasimov, with an opportunity to progress to the final and improve India’s medal prospects at the global junior competition.

Aditya’s achievement followed earlier semifinal entries by Prachi Tokas in the women’s 57kg category and Megha Sheokand in the women’s 80kg category. Their victories had already guaranteed India two medals, taking the contingent’s assured medal count to three with Aditya’s quarterfinal success.

The result represents an important milestone for the Indian team, with the men’s contingent now assured of a place on the podium through Aditya’s run in the 55kg division.

Aditya delivered a decisive performance against Orlando, earning a unanimous 5:0 verdict to move into the last four. The victory ensured that India would have representation in the medal standings from the men’s competition, alongside its progress in the women’s categories.

His next opponent, Gasimov of Azerbaijan, will stand between him and a place in the final. The semifinal will be a significant test for the Indian boxer as he attempts to convert his assured medal into a shot at the championship title.

Aditya’s progress also comes against the backdrop of a difficult stretch for some of India’s other male boxers. In the late-evening session on Friday, Mausam Suhag lost his men’s 65kg quarterfinal 0:5 to England’s Yashua Flemming. Aman Dev was beaten 0:5 by Georgia’s Shalva Beridze in the men’s 50kg category, while Lakshu suffered a 0:5 defeat against the United States’ Marley McNealy.

Those results ended the respective medal hopes of the three boxers, making Aditya’s victory particularly important for the Indian men’s campaign.

Prachi Tokas secures India’s first medal

Prachi Tokas was the first Indian boxer to assure a medal at the championships, reaching the women’s 57kg semifinals with a dominant performance against Samoa’s Kealey Perez.

The Asian U-19 silver medallist controlled all three rounds of her quarterfinal on Tuesday evening. Perez had previously won gold in the 80kg category at the U-19 World Boxing Futures Cup in Bangkok, Thailand, earlier in 2026, but Tokas proved too strong in their encounter.

Her victory secured India’s first medal at the tournament and gave the contingent an early boost. Tokas will face Russia’s Samira Itonieva in the semifinals. The Indian will look to carry her quarterfinal form into the next round and challenge for a place in the gold-medal bout.

Her assured medal adds to an encouraging international season for the young boxer, who entered the championships with an Asian U-19 silver medal to her name.

Megha Sheokand became India’s second assured medallist after defeating Turkey’s Melisa Eroglu 5:0 in the women’s 80kg quarterfinal on Friday. The unanimous decision secured Megha’s place in the semifinals and guaranteed another podium finish for the Indian contingent. Her result strengthened India’s position in the women’s competition before Aditya’s victory added a third medal to the tally.

The three semifinal appearances across different weight categories demonstrate the breadth of India’s progress at the championships. With Tokas competing at 57kg, Megha at 80kg and Aditya at 55kg, India has secured medals across both the women’s and men’s draws.

While the medal count has increased, several Indian boxers have also exited the competition. Himanshi lost 1:4 to Ireland’s Ellen Joyce in the women’s 48kg pre-quarterfinals. Anshika’s campaign in the women’s 75kg category ended earlier after she lost by RSC to China’s Shengjie Gong.

In the men’s 90kg category, Dhruv went down 0:3 against Poland’s Aleksander Sikora. Harshika, however, recorded a 4:0 victory over Australia’s Tiana Rew in the women’s 65kg pre-quarterfinals, while Lakshu edged Turkey’s Buse Nur Yahan 3:2 in the women’s 70kg category. Both had moved to within one win of an assured medal at that stage.

Prachi subsequently converted her quarterfinal opportunity into a medal, while Megha and Aditya also secured their places in the semifinals.

With three medals now assured, India will look to build on its progress as the tournament moves into the semifinal stage. Aditya’s upcoming bout against Gasimov will be particularly important, as a victory would send the Indian male boxer into the final and put him within reach of gold.

Tokas and Megha will also seek to advance from their respective semifinals after securing their places on the podium. The World Boxing U-19 Championships provide an important international platform for emerging boxers to test themselves against competitors from across the world. For India, the performances in Budva have offered encouraging signs, particularly with medal-winning progress across multiple weight categories.

Aditya’s emphatic 5:0 quarterfinal victory has added a significant chapter to the campaign. With three medals assured and further opportunities ahead, the Indian contingent will aim to translate its semifinal appearances into the strongest possible finish in Montenegro.