Sports Current Affairs MCQs

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Dommaraju Gukesh, at 18, became the youngest chess world champion, surpassing Garry Kasparov’s record. He achieved this by defeating Ding Liren after a three-week battle in Singapore. Gukesh showed exceptional focus, minimal social media use, and meditative concentration during the tournament. Starting chess at 11, his dedication and obsession with becoming No. 1 set him apart. Despite setbacks in the championship, he responded with resilience and readiness to fight. Chess experts, including Susan Polgar, believe Gukesh has not yet reached his peak potential. He joins an elite lineage of chess champions, the youngest ever to do so.

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The mascot “Mauli,” inspired by the Monal, was unveiled for the 38th National Games in Raipur, Dehradun. The Games will include traditional sports like yoga and mallakhamb, as approved by the Indian Olympic Association. The logo also features the Monal, representing Uttarakhand’s natural beauty. The tagline “Sankalp Se Shikhar Tak” (From Resolve to Zenith) was revealed. Uttarakhand will host the event from January 28 to February 14, 2025, with more than 10,000 participants.

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India will host the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) Junior World Cup 2025 for Rifle, Pistol, and Shotgun events, marking the first time this event will be held in the country. This adds to India’s track record of hosting top ISSF events, including the 2023 Senior World Cup in Bhopal and the ISSF World Cup Final earlier this year. NRAI President Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo credited India’s hosting success to strong support from the government and the Ministry of Sports. Over the past decade, India has hosted nine major ISSF championships, highlighting its role in promoting shooting sports globally. The year 2025 will also feature the inaugural Shooting League of India alongside regular national competitions.

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West Bengal won the Santosh Trophy national football championship by defeating Kerala in the final of the 78th edition. The final match was held on 31st December 2024 at GMC Balayogi Stadium, Hyderabad, Telangana. The Santosh Trophy is a premier state-level football tournament for men in India, organized by the All India Football Federation. The 78th edition’s final round was hosted by the Telangana Football Association from 14th to 31st December 2024 in Hyderabad.

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The 74th Senior National Basketball Championship is organized by the Gujarat State Basketball Association under the Basketball Federation of India. The tournament is hosted at Sidsar Sports Complex Indoor Stadium, Bhavnagar, Gujarat. More than 900 national and international players, along with more than 150 officials and state representatives, are participating. India aims to host the 2036 Olympics, with Gujarat planning five world-class sports events in 2025, 2026, and 2029.

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Kiran Jadhav of the Navy won the 10m air-rifle gold at the 15th Lakshya Cup. Jadhav scored 251.7 points, securing his first victory after years of finals since 2018. Maharashtra’s Gajanan Khandagale came second with 250.9 points, and Mohit Gowda took third with 229.3 points. Paris Olympics finalist Arjun Babuta finished fourth with 208.2 points. National champions Shahu Mane and Ananya Naidu failed to qualify for the finals. Mohit Gowda topped the qualifiers with 630.5 points, while Olympians Divyansh Singh Panwar and Sandeep Singh also missed the finals.

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Former New Zealand cricketer Martin Guptill retired from international cricket after a 14-year career (2009–2022). He played 367 matches (198 ODIs, 122 T20Is, 47 Tests) and scored 23 international centuries. Guptill is New Zealand’s leading T20I run-scorer (3,531 runs) and third-highest ODI run-scorer (7,346 runs). He scored New Zealand’s first ODI double-century (237*) in the 2015 ICC World Cup and a century on ODI debut in 2009. Known for spectacular fielding, he famously ran out MS Dhoni in the 2019 World Cup semifinal.

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The first Kho Kho World Cup began on 13 January 2025 at Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium, New Delhi. It was inaugurated by Sudhanshu Mittal, President of the Kho Kho Federation of India. It was organized by the Kho Kho Federation of India with support from the Indian Olympic Association, the event runs from 13–19 January 2025. Each team has 12 players, with 9 taking the field during a match. The tournament features men’s teams from 20 countries and women’s teams from 19 countries, divided into four groups. India’s men’s team is led by Pratik Waikar, and the women’s team by Priyanka Ingle.

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Karnataka men’s senior cricket team won its 5th Vijay Hazare Trophy by defeating Vidarbha by 36 runs in the 2024-25 final. The final was held on 18 January 2025 at Kotambi Stadium, Vadodara, Gujarat. This victory ended Karnataka’s five-year title drought in domestic cricket. Vijay Hazare Trophy, organized by BCCI, is a premier 50-over one-day tournament featuring 38 Ranji teams.

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The India Open 2025 badminton tournament concluded in New Delhi with outstanding performances. Viktor Axelsen of Denmark won his third India Open men’s singles title, defeating Lee Cheuk Yiu of Hong Kong China 21-16, 21-8. Axelsen previously won the India Open in 2017 and 2019. An Se-young of South Korea dominated the women’s singles final, defeating Thailand’s Pornpawee Chochuwong 21-12, 21-9 in just 39 minutes. Both champions are Paris 2024 Olympic gold medalists, showcasing their world-class talent.