1. Pankaj Singh elected president of Indian Cycling Federation
Tags: Sports Person in news Sports News
BJP MLA from Noidaand son of Union Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, Pankaj Singh was elected as the President of the Cycling Federation of India (CFI).
An Overview of the News
The election was held during the Annual General Body meeting in Nainital, and Pankaj Singh was elected unopposed.
Maninder Pal Singh was elected general secretary for the second time in a row.
Sudesh Kumar from Kerala was elected as the treasurer.
Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Gujarat, Kerala and Telangana elected two members each to the Executive Council.
Chandigarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Orissa, Himachal Pradesh and Andaman and Nicobar elected one member each to the Executive Council.
About Cycling Federation of India (CFI)
It is the national governing body for cycling in India and was established in 1946.
It is recognized by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), the world governing body for the sport of cycling.
The main responsibilities of the CFI include promoting, developing and regulating cycling activities in India.
The CFI organises various national and international cycling events including road races, track cycling, mountain biking and BMX events.
It also oversees the selection and training of Indian cyclists for major international competitions such as the Olympics, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games and World Championships.
2. Mahavir Singh Phogat appointed as President of MMA-1 Federation
Tags: Person in news Sports News
Renowned wrestler and coach Mahavir Singh Phogat was appointed as the President of MMA-1 Federation.
An Overview of the News
Phogat's appointment as the President of the MMA-1 Federation is aimed at developing and promoting MMA in India.
Phogat's role as president will primarily involve identifying and nurturing young talent in the sport of MMA in India.
About Mixed Martial Arts (MMA)
It is a full-contact combat sport involving striking, grappling and ground fighting.
It incorporates techniques from various combat sports around the world.
The term "mixed martial arts" was first used in1993 by a television critic reviewing UFC 1.
Valle Tudo in Brazil and interstylistic competition in Asia were precursors to modern MMA.
The Gracie family brought Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu to America in the 1990s, which led to the founding of the UFC in 1993.
About Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC)
UFC is a major American mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion company and is owned and operated by Zuffa, a wholly owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings.
As of 2022, the UFC is the world's largest MMA promotion by events held globally.
The company follows the unified rules of mixed martial arts and has 12 weight classes, including eight for men and four for women.
Dana White has been the president of the UFC since 2001 and has been instrumental in its success.
Established -1993
Founders - Art Dewey, Bob Meyerowitz, Ryan Troutsdale, Campbell McLaren, David Isaacs, John Milius, and Rorian Gracie
Headquarters - Las Vegas, Nevada, US
MMA-1 Federation President -Mohammed Ali Budhwani
3. Carlos Alcaraz wins second consecutive Barcelona title
Tags: Sports Sports News
Carlos Alcaraz won his second consecutive Barcelona title on 23 April, defeating Stefanos Tsitsipas in straight sets.
An Overview of the News
Alcaraz has won his third trophy of 2023 and ninth of his career after victories in Buenos Aires and Indian Wells.
It was Alcaraz's fourth win in four meetings with Tsitsipas.
Football Club Barcelona:
It is a professional football club based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
Barcelona is one of the most successful clubs in Spanish football history.
The club was founded in 1899 by a group of Swiss, Spanish and English footballers.
Barcelona is also known for their youth academy, La Masia, which has produced many of the club's greats such as Lionel Messi, Xavi and Andrés Iniesta.
President - Joan Laporta
4. Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan launches 'One Panchayat, One Playground' project
Tags: State News Sports News
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan launched the 'One Panchayat, One Playground' project in Kallikkad on 19 April 2023 with the goal of reviving the sports culture in the state.
An Overview of the News
The project aims to establish high-quality playgrounds in every panchayat, a local self-government in India, to promote community gatherings and social interaction.
The playgrounds will be constructed within three years, with 113 panchayats identified for the initial phase of the project.
Each playground is expected to cost around Rs one crore, with the sports department covering half of the cost and the remaining funds raised from various sources such as legislative and local body funds, corporate social responsibility (CSR) and public-private partnerships.
Lack of quality playgrounds in about 450 local bodies across the state is a major issue that the 'One Panchayat, One Playground' project aims to address.
About Kerala
Capital - Thiruvananthapuram
Official Bird - Great Hornbill
Governor - Arif Mohammad Khan
Chief Minister - Pinarayi Vijayan
Origin of rivers in Kerala
Periyar River
Bharathapuzha River
Pamba River
Chaliyar River
Chalakudy River
India's longest lake - Vembanad, Kerala
5. Kiptom wins London Marathon in 2nd fastest time
Tags: Sports Person in news Sports News
Kelvin Kiptum, a 23-year-old Kenyan athlete, won the London Marathon and set the second fastest time in history for the distance.
An Overview of the News
Kiptum finished the race with a time of 2 hours, 1 minute and 25 seconds, breaking the course record but only 16 seconds short of Eliud Kipchoge's world record.
Kiptum finished behind elite runners Amos Kipruto, Tamirat Tola and Mo Farah, who finished ninth at age 40 with a time of 2 hours 10 minutes and 28 seconds.
About the London Marathon
It is an annual long distance running competition that takes place in London, UK. It was first organised in 1981.
The event attracts elite athletes and amateur runners from around the world. Participants walk 26.2 miles (42.2 km) through the streets of London, passing famous landmarks such as Buckingham Palace and Tower Bridge.
In addition to elite men's and women's races, there are also wheelchair races and mass participation events for amateur runners.
London:
It is the capital of England and the United Kingdom and is a city with a rich history that dates back to Roman times.
The iconic 'Big Ben' clock tower is home to Westminster Abbey in the centre of London as well as the site of the British Monarchy's coronation.
Across the River Thames from the centre of London is the London Eye observation wheel, which provides panoramic views of the South Bank cultural precinct and the entire city.
6. Archery World Cup 2023: India won four medals in Antalya
Tags: Sports Sports News
Indian men's recurve team comprising Atanu Das, Dheeraj Bommadevra and Tarundeep Rai won the silver medal at the Archery World Cup 2023 Stage 1 held in Antalya, Turkey on 23 April.
An overview of the news
The Indian trio lost 4-5 to China's Li Zhongyuan, Qi Jiangshuo and Wei Shaoxuan in the final.
While India lost the first two sets, they soon came back to win the next two sets to level the scores at 4-4.
But in the deciding fifth set, the two teams were tied 28-28, leading to a shoot-off, which was won by the Chinese team.
Earlier, the fourth seeded Indian men's recurve archery team had defeated Italy, Japan, Chinese Taipei and Netherlands on their way to the final.
On the same day, Dheeraj Bommadevra defeated Ilfat Abdullin of Kazakhstan 7–3 to win the bronze medal in the men's individual recurve event.
Thus with two medals on 23 April, India ended the competition with four medals, including two gold, one silver and one bronze.
Name of medal winners of India
Jyothi Surekha Vennam - Women's Individual Compound - Gold Medal
Jyoti Surekha Vennam and Ojas Praveen Deotale - Compound Mixed Team - Gold Medal
Atanu Das, Dhiraj Bommadevra and Tarundeep Rai - Men's Recurve Team - Silver Medal
Dheeraj Bommadevra - Men's Individual Recurve - Bronze Medal
7. Shaili Singh qualifies for Asian Games
Tags: Sports Sports News
Shaili Singh won the women's long jump event at the Indian Grand Prix-4 held in Bengaluru on 19 April.
An overview of the news
Union Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Anurag Singh Thakur has congratulated Shaili on her victory.
With a personal best of 6.76m, she is now the second highest long jumper in the history of India and has qualified for the Asian Games.
Shelly became the second highest female long jumper after her idol and mentor Anju Bobby George.
Shelly's win in Indian Grand Prix IV is a huge milestone and will have a significant impact on the future of Indian sports.
Athlete Shelly has been training hard at NCOE Bangalore under the Target Olympic Podium (TOP) scheme and her dedication and commitment towards the sport is truly inspiring.
8. Construction of multi-purpose indoor stadium started in Shillong
Tags: Sports State News Sports News
Presently the construction of Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium at Polo in Shillong started and it is the largest stadium of its kind in the North Eastern region.
An Overview of the News
It will be a multi-purpose indoor stadium which will provide state-of-the-art facilities for various disciplines such as basketball, squash, badminton, table tennis, volleyball and many more.
The Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium at Polo Ground in Shillong is being renovated, upgraded and expanded to include a football field with natural grass turf and a state-of-the-art facility to host track and field events.
The stadium is being constructed to high-quality standards, ensuring it will be fit to host international sporting events.
About Meghalaya
It is a state located in Northeast India.
It was formed on January 21, 1972 by carving out two districts from the state of Assam: United Khasi Hills and Jaintia Hills and Garo Hills.
Shillong is the capital and largest city of Meghalaya.
Meghalaya is home to several indigenous tribes including the Khasis, Garos and Jaintias, each with their own distinct culture, traditions and languages.
Governor - Fagu Chauhan
Chief Minister - Conrad Sangma (NPP)
Official language - English
Legislative Assembly - Meghalaya Legislative Assembly (60 seats)
Rajya Sabha - 1 seat
Lok Sabha - 2 seats
Lake - Umiam Lake
River - Kopili
Festival - Nongkrem Dance, Wangala Festival, Ahiya
National Parks - Balpakram National Park, Nokrek National Park
Wildlife Sanctuaries - Baghmara Pitcher Plant Wildlife Sanctuary, Nongkhyllem Wildlife Sanctuary, Siju Bird Sanctuary
9. Harmanpreet Kaur and Suryakumar Yadav included in Wisden Cricketers 2022 list
Tags: Sports Sports News
Wisden Cricketers Almanack has released the list of top-5 cricketers of the year 2022. It also includes India's women's team captain Harmanpreet Kaur and Suryakumar Yadav of the men's team.
An overview of the news
Apart from Kaur, the list also includes the names of Tom Blundell (New Zealand), Ben Foakes (England), Daryl Mitchell (New Zealand) and Matthew Potts (England).
Suryakumar Yadav has been selected as the T20 Cricketer of the Year.
Harmanpreet Kaur created history by becoming the first Indian woman to be named in Wisden Cricketers of the Year.
Apart from this, Ben Stokes of England has been selected as the best cricketer in the world for the year 2022-23 among male players.
At the same time, Beth Mooney (Australia) has received this award among women cricketers. Suryakumar Yadav has been selected as the T20 Cricketer of the Year.
Harmanpreet Kaur's performance
Harmanpreet has received this honor for her excellent performance last year.
Harmanpreet scored an unbeaten 143 off 111 balls in the ODI against England in the year 2022.
With this, Team India won an ODI series in England for the first time since 1999.
Under the captaincy of Harmanpreet, the team also won the silver medal in the Commonwealth Games. At the same time, the team also became the winner of the Asia Cup.
In the year 2022, Harmanpreet played 17 ODIs and managed to score 754 runs at an average of 58.00. His best score was 142 not out.
Suryakumar Yadav's performance in 2022
Suryakumar Yadav is currently the world's number-1 batsman in T20 cricket.
He played 31 matches in the year 2022 and scored 1,164 runs at an impressive strike rate of 187.43. Which is the second most runs ever in a calendar year. During this, he had scored 2 centuries and 9 half-centuries.
Suryakumar is doing better in the year 2023 as well. He has played 6 matches this year and scored 267 runs at an average of 66.75.
So far in 2023, he has scored 1 century and 1 half-century.
Wisden Cricketers' Almanack
It is known as the Bible of Cricket.
Wisden was founded in 1864 by the English cricketer John Wisden.
It is a cricket reference book published annually in the United Kingdom.
The description "bible of cricket" was first used in the 1930s by Alec Waugh in a review for the London Mercury.
10. India won total 14 medals in Asian Wrestling Championship 2023
Tags: Sports Sports News
India participated in the 36th edition of Asian Wrestling Championship to be held in Astana, Kazakhstan from 9th to 14th April 2023. The event was originally planned to be held in New Delhi, India.
An Overview of the News
A total of 331 wrestlers from 22 countries participated in this competition, out of which 30 wrestlers were from India.
Indian wrestlers were successful in winning a total of 14 medals in the championship. This includes one gold, three silver and ten bronze medals.
With these achievements, India secured the 7th position in the medal tally.
The top three nations in the medal table based on gold medals were Kazakhstan, Japan and Iran.
The previous edition of the Asian Wrestling Championships, the 35th edition, was held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia from April 19 to April 24 in 2022.
Medal Winner for India
Aman Sehrawat (Men's 57kg Freestyle) - Gold
Rupin (Greco-Roman 55 kg) - Silver
Antim Panghal (Women's 53kg Freestyle) - Silver
Nisha Dahiya (Women's 68 kg Freestyle) - Silver
Anirudh Kumar (Men's 125kg Freestyle) - Bronze
Deepak (Men's 79 kg Freestyle) - Bronze
Neeraj Chikara (Greco-Roman 63kg) - Bronze
Sunil Kumar (Greco-Roman 87kg) - Bronze
Vikas (Greco-Roman 72 kg) - Bronze
Anshu Malik (Women's 57kg Freestyle) - Bronze
Sonam Malik (Women's 62kg Freestyle) - Bronze
Manisha (Women's 65kg Freestyle) - Bronze
Ritika Hooda (Women's 72kg Freestyle) - Bronze
Priya (Women's 76kg Freestyle) - Bronze
About Kazakhstan
It is a Central Asian country that was once a part of the Soviet Union. It became an independent nation in 1991 after the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
The country is the ninth largest country in the world by land area, stretching from the Caspian Sea in the west to the Altai Mountains in the east.
The capital of Kazakhstan is Nur-Sultan, which was renamed from Astana in 2019. It is a modern city known for its futuristic architecture.
