1. Praggnanandhaa Beats Carlsen, and leads Norway Chess 2024
Tags: Sports
Praggnanandhaa defeated Magnus Carlsen in a classical chess event for the first time.
An Overview of the News
The match took place during the 3rd round of Norway Chess 2024.
Praggnanandhaa, an 18-year-old Indian chess prodigy, played with the White pieces.
He gained an early advantage in the game and converted it into a victory.
With this win, Praggnanandhaa now leads the tournament with 5.5 points.
Norway Chess:
It is an annual closed chess tournament, typically held between May and June each year.
The inaugural edition of the tournament occurred in the Stavanger area, Norway, from May 7 to May 18, 2013.
The 2013 tournament featured ten participants, including seven of the top ten highest-rated players in the world according to the May 2013 FIDE World Rankings.
Sergey Karjakin emerged as the winner of the 2013 edition, while Magnus Carlsen and Hikaru Nakamura shared the second-place position.
Norway Chess 2015 took place in mid-June 2015 and was included in the inaugural Grand Chess Tour.
Subsequently, the tournament opted to withdraw from the Grand Chess Tour.
2. Wang Zhi Yi Clinches Malaysia Masters Title, P.V. Sindhu Settles for Runner-Up
Tags: Sports
Two-time Olympic gold medallist and world No. 15 in women's singles badminton, PV Sindhu was the runner-up in the women's singles category at the Malaysia Masters 2024.
An Overview of the News
She lost the final match to Wang Zhi Yi of China, who is ranked world number 7, at the Badminton World Federation (BWF) Malaysia Masters 2024.
The tournament took place from May 21st to May 26th, 2024, at the Axiata Arena in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
In the Men's Singles category, world number 1 Viktor Axelsen clinched the title, marking his first World Tour victory of 2024. Axelsen defeated Malaysian badminton player Lee Zii Jia in the final match.
The total prize money allocated for the Malaysia Masters 2024 BWF Super 500 badminton tournament amounted to USD 420,000.
About P.V. Sindhu
She claimed victories at the Singapore Open and Commonwealth Games (held in Birmingham) in 2022.
She secured the women's singles title twice before, in 2013 and 2016, distinguishing herself while Saina Nehwal took the title in 2017.
Additionally, she achieved the runner-up position at the Madrid Spain Masters in 2023.
Malaysia Masters 2024 Winners and Runners-up List:
Category | Men's Singles | Women's Singles | Men's Doubles | Women's Doubles | Mixed Doubles |
Winner | Viktor Axelsen (Denmark) | Wang Zhi Yi (China) | Kim Astrup and Anders Skaarup Rasmussen (Denmark) | Rin Iwanaga and Kie Nakanishi (Japan) | Goh Soon Huat and Shevon Jemie Lai (Malaysia) |
Runner-up | Lee Zii Jia (Malaysia) | P. V. Sindhu (India) | Jin Yong and Na Sung-seung (South Korea) | Lee Yu-lim and Shin Seung-chan (South Korea) | Rinov Rivaldy and Pitha Haningtyas Mentari (Indonesia) |
Malaysia Masters 2024 Highlights
Viktor Axelsen clinched his second Malaysia Masters men's singles title, marking his 29th overall victory on the World Tour.
Denmark's Kim Astrup and Anders Skaarup Rasmussen emerged victorious in the men's doubles, defeating South Korea's Jin Yong and Na Sung-seung.
Rin Iwanaga and Kie Nakanishi of Japan secured the women's doubles title by defeating South Korea's Lee Yu-lim and Shin Seung-chan.
Malaysia's Goh Soon Huat and Shevon Jemie Lai claimed the mixed doubles championship by defeating Indonesia's Rinov Rivaldy and Pitha Haningtyas Mentari.
Malaysia Masters 2024:
The 2024 Malaysia Masters was the 13th tournament on the BWF World Tour 2024.
Commencing in 2009, the event was initially categorized as a Grand Prix Gold tournament by the Badminton World Federation (BWF).
Since 2018, it has been classified as a BWF World Tour Super 500 tournament.
About BWF:
President: Poul-Erik Høyer Larsen
Headquarters: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
3. Indian Arm Wrestlers Triumph with Seven Medals at Asian Championship 2024 in Tashkent
Tags: Sports
The Indian arm wrestling contingent excelled at the Asian Championship 2024 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, securing a total of seven medals.
An Overview of the News
Indian arm wrestlers won a total of seven medals including one gold and six bronze at the Asian Championship 2024.
Individual Performances:
Shrimant Jha's Triumph: Shrimant Jha emerged as the standout performer, clinching gold in the left-hand para category and bronze in the right-hand para category.
Laxman Singh Bhandari: Laxman Singh Bhandari contributed significantly, earning two bronze medals in the Masters category.
Sachin Goyal:Sachin Goyal made his mark by winning bronze in the competitive right-hand Senior category.
Ibi Lollen: Ibi Lollen from Arunachal Pradesh showcased her talent by securing bronze medals in both the Women’s Right and Left-hand categories.
Representation and Leadership:
The Indian contingent competed under the banner of the People’s Armwrestling Federation of India (PAFI), highlighting the organization's role in fostering arm wrestling talent.
PAFI is the sole Indian organization affiliated with both the Asian Armwrestling Federation (AAF) and the World Armwrestling Federation (WAF), ensuring representation at the international level under the leadership of President Preeti Jhangiani.
4. Dipa Karmakar Clinches India’s First-Ever Gold Medal In Women’s Vault At Asian Championships
Tags: Sports
Dipa Karmakar secured India's inaugural gold medal in the women's Vault event at the Asian Championships held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
An Overview of the News
The victory marks a significant milestone in Indian gymnastics history, as it is the first gold medal won by an Indian gymnast in any event at the Asian Championships.
Record-breaking Performance:
With an average score of 13.566, the 30-year-old Olympian demonstrated exceptional skill and precision in the women's Vault final.
North Korean gymnasts Kim Son Hyang and Jo Kyong Byol claimed the silver and bronze medals, respectively.
This triumph adds to Dipa Karmakar's illustrious track record of pioneering feats in Indian gymnastics.
Dipa Karmakar's Leading Career:
She was the first Indian female gymnast to compete in the Olympics, showcasing her talent at the Rio 2016 Games.
At Rio, she impressed by securing fourth place in the women's vault, earning global acclaim.
Prior to her recent triumph, she made history by winning gold at the 2018 FIG World Cup in Mersin, Turkey, marking the first such victory by an Indian gymnast in an international competition.
About Asian Gymnastics Championships
The Asian Gymnastics Union (AGU) hosts senior editions of the Asian Gymnastics Championships for various disciplines.
These disciplines include men's and women's artistic gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics, acrobatic gymnastics, aerobic gymnastics, and trampoline gymnastics.
Junior Asian Artistic Gymnastics Championships began in 1971, with the senior edition starting in 1996.
Similarly, Junior Asian Trampoline Championships were held in 2010 and 2012, with the senior edition introduced in 2014 alongside the junior event.
5. KKR Wins IPL Trophy for Third Time
Tags: Sports
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) secured their third Indian Premier League (IPL) title.
An Overview of the News
They clinched victory with an emphatic eight-wicket win over Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the final.
Despite losing the toss, KKR displayed a clinical effort with the ball.
They restricted SRH to a mere 113 runs, marking the lowest-ever total in an IPL final.
KKR efficiently chased down the target of 114 runs with 57 balls to spare.
Venkatesh Iyer led the charge with an unbeaten 52 runs, supported by Rahmanullah Gurbaz's 39 runs.
SRH's Struggle:
Sunrisers Hyderabad struggled with the bat, being all out for 113 runs in 18.3 overs.
Skipper Pat Cummins was the highest scorer for SRH with 24 runs.
Key Performers:
Andre Russell starred for KKR, scalping 3 crucial wickets.
Mitchell Starc's impactful performance earned him the Player of the Match award.
About IPL :
Establishment: Founded by BCCI in 2007.
Teams: Ten franchise teams based on states or cities.
Timing: Annual event running from March to May.
Format: Men's Twenty20 cricket league.
Headquarters - Cricket Centre, Churchgate, Mumbai, Maharashtra
Most successful Team - Chennai Super Kings; Mumbai Indians; (5 titles each)
6. Simran Sharma Triumphs with Gold at Para-Athletics World Championship
Tags: Sports
Simran Sharma of India clinched the gold medal in the Women’s 200 meters T12 category at the Para-Athletics World Championship in Kobe, Japan.
An Overview of the News
Sharma achieved a Personal Best time of 24.95 seconds, securing not only the gold but also the Paralympics quota.
Bronze Medals for Preethi Pal and Navdeep
Preethi Pal, representing India, secured bronze in the Women’s 100 meters T35 category, adding to her earlier bronze in the 200 meters.
Navdeep, another Indian athlete, won bronze in the Men’s Javelin Throw F41 category with a season-best performance of 42.82 meters.
Other Indian Medal Winners
Sachin Sarjerao Khilari clinched the gold medal in the men’s shot put event.
Deepti Jeevanji won her first goldmedal in the women's 400m T20 event.
Ekta Bhyan clinched the goldmedal in the women's F51 club throw competition. Bhyan achieved her victory with a season's best throw of 20.12 meters.
Kashish Lakra secured the silver medal with a throw measuring 14.56 meters.
YogeshKathuniya achieved a season's best mark of 41.80 meters, earning silver in the Men’s Discus Throw F56 Final.
Nishad Kumar grabbed silver in Men’s High Jump T47 with a season-best jump of 1.99 meters.
India's overall medal tally
India's total medal tally at the Para-Athletics World Championships reached 17, the highest in its history.
The medal haul includes six gold, five silver, and six bronze medals, showcasing India's growing prowess in para-athletics.
World Para Athletics Championship:
The 11th World Para Athletics Championship is underway in Kobe, Japan, spanning from May 17 to May 25, 2024.
More than a thousand athletes from over one hundred nations are participating, contesting in 168 medal events, consisting of 92 male, 75 female, and one mixed event.
The championship is hosted at the Kobe Universiade Memorial Stadium.
This marks the inaugural occasion of the World Para Athletics Championships taking place in East Asia.
7. Compound Women’s Team Wins Gold at Archery World Cup Stage 2
Tags: Sports
India secured the Gold medal in the compound women’s team event at the Archery World Cup Stage 2 in Yecheon, South Korea.
An Overview of the News
The trio of Jyothi Surekha Vennam, Parneet Kaur, and Aditi Swami showcased dominance throughout the final match against Turkey.
They outperformed Turkey’s team consisting of Hazal Burun, Ayse Bera Suzer, and Begum Yuva.
India clinched the victory without dropping a set, maintaining a solid lead throughout the match.
The final result saw India securing the gold with a significant six-point margin over Turkey.
Hat-Trick Achievement:
Jyothi Surekha Vennam, Parneet Kaur, and Aditi Swami achieved a remarkable feat by winning their third consecutive World Cup gold medal together.
Key Points about the Archery World Cup:
The Archery World Cup, initiated in 2006 by the World Archery Federation, consists of four stages held across different countries.
It was introduced to capitalize on the popularity of the sport post the 2003 World Archery Championships and the 2004 Summer Olympics.
The competition aims to enhance the sport's appeal by showcasing matches in picturesque locations and broadcasting the finals online.
Competition Structure:
Archers compete in four stages globally, with the top eight (four during 2006–09) advancing to the Archery World Cup Final.
The Final serves as the pinnacle event, where the best archers from each category vie for the ultimate title.
Broadcast and Sponsorship:
Since 2013, the World Cup has been broadcast live on Eurosport, extending its viewership and accessibility.
Major sponsors like Kia and Longines have backed the event, with Longines presenting the annual Longines Prize of Precision.
The Longines Prize recognizes exceptional mastery of the bow and arrow, focusing on attributes like concentration, balance, accuracy, and skill.
8. IOC launches 'Let's Move India' Campaign
Tags: Sports
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) launches 'Let's Move India' campaign.
An Overview of the News
Aimed at inspiring people to celebrate athletes at the Paris Olympics.
Digital Challenge:
Participants encouraged to join through a digital challenge on social media.
People across India invited to participate.
Regional School Initiatives:
Young people can engage in regional school initiatives coinciding with Olympic Day on June 23.
Initiatives designed to inspire and celebrate athletes.
Recreating Athlete Celebrations:
Participants encouraged to recreate favorite athlete celebrations or create their own.
The goal is to inspire and celebrate Olympians representing India in Paris 2024.
Collaboration with Abhinav Bindra:
IOC collaborates with Abhinav Bindra, India's first individual Olympic gold medallist and IOC Athletes’ Commission member.
Together, they extend invitations to schools nationwide as part of the Olympic Values Education Programme.
International Olympic Committee (IOC)
Non-governmental sports organization
Based in Lausanne, Switzerland.
Governs National Olympic Committees (NOCs).
Oversees the worldwide Olympic Movement.
Formation - 23 June 1894
Founders - Pierre de Coubertin, Demetrios Vikelas
Headquarters - Olympic House, Lausanne, Switzerland
President - Thomas Bach
9. Sachin Sarjerao Khilari Grabs Shot Put Gold at World Para Athletics Championship
Tags: Sports
Sachin Sarjerao Khilari, representing India, clinched the gold medal in the men’s shot put event at the World Para Athletics Championship in Kobe, Japan.
An Overview of the News
Khilari achieved a remarkable feat by setting a new Asian record in the F46 category with a throw of 16.30 meters.
Bronze Medal Success for Dharambir
Dharambir, another Indian athlete, secured the Bronze Medal in the Men’s Club Throw event.
His final throw measured 33.31 meters, a distance that not only earned him the Bronze Medal but also established a new Asian Record in the F51 Category.
Other Indian Medal Winners
Deepti Jeevanji won her first gold medal in the women's 400m T20 event.
Ekta Bhyan of India clinched the gold medal in the women's F51 club throw competition at the World Para Athletic Championships in Kobe, Japan. Bhyan achieved her victory with a season's best throw of 20.12 meters.
Kashish Lakra, also from India, secured the silver medal with a throw measuring 14.56 meters.
Yogesh Kathuniya achieved a season's best mark of 41.80 meters, earning silver in the Men’s Discus Throw F56 Final.
Preethi Pal secured a bronze medal in the Women’s 200m T35 final.
Nishad Kumar grabbed silver in Men’s High Jump T47 with a season-best jump of 1.99 meters.
Record-breaking Medal Tally for India
India's exceptional performances have propelled the nation beyond its previous highest total of 10 medals.
The Indian contingent now boasts an impressive tally of 12 medals, comprising 5 gold, 4 silver, and 3 bronze medals.
China Leads Points Table
China remains at the top of the points table with a total of 48 medals.
World Para Athletics Championship:
The 11th World Para Athletics Championship is underway in Kobe, Japan, spanning from May 17 to May 25, 2024.
More than a thousand athletes from over one hundred nations are participating, contesting in 168 medal events, consisting of 92 male, 75 female, and one mixed event.
The championship is hosted at the Kobe Universiade Memorial Stadium.
This marks the inaugural occasion of the World Para Athletics Championships taking place in East Asia.
Notably, this is the third instance of the World Para Athletics Championships occurring in Asia, with previous editions held in Doha, Qatar, in 2015, and Dubai, United Arab Emirates, in 2019.
10. Chirag Shetty-Satwiksairaj Rankireddy Clinch Thailand Open 2024 Men's Doubles Title
Tags: Sports
Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy secured victory in the Thailand Open 2024 badminton men’s doubles final.
An Overview of the News
The match was held at Nimibutr Stadium in Bangkok.
They defeated their Chinese opponents Chen Bo Yang and Liu Yi with a scoreline of 21-15, 21-15 in a 46-minute match.
Tournament Performance:
This win marked Chirag and Satwik's second title of the 2024 badminton season and their second Thailand Open title.
Previously, they lost in the finals of the Malaysia Open and India Open but claimed victory in the French Open in March.
Thailand Open holds significance for them as they won their first Super 500 title here in 2019.
The 2024 Thailand Open final was their fifth appearance in a BWF Super 500 summit clash, all of which they won.
Ranking and Points:
With 9200 ranking points from the tournament, Chirag and Satwik are expected to regain the world No. 1 rank next week.
Overall Achievement:
This victory marks their eighth title on the BWF World Tour.
In the previous year, they won titles at the Swiss Open, Indonesia Open, and Korea Open.
