Sports Current Affairs MCQs

Notes:
Mayank Chakraborty, a 16-year-old from Assam, became the first-ever Grandmaster (GM) from Northeast India and India’s 94th Grandmaster in March 2026. This achievement marks a historic breakthrough for Northeast India, which had not produced a Grandmaster before, highlighting the region’s emerging presence in international chess. He secured his third and final GM norm at an international tournament in Stockholm, thereby fulfilling all criteria set by FIDE. His success contributes to India’s rapidly growing list of Grandmasters, reflecting the country’s rising dominance in global chess.

Notes:
Sikkim has been selected as the host for the 49th Yonex Sunrise Junior National Badminton Championship 2026 (U-19, Individual & Team). The championship is scheduled to be held from 14th to 21st November 2026. The tournament is organised under the aegis of the Badminton Association of India (BAI). It will feature top junior badminton players from across India, competing at a national level.

Notes:
The 16th Hockey India Sub Junior Women National Championship 2026 starts from 1 April, in Ranchi, Jharkhand, and run until April 12. The tournament follows a division-based format to boost competition and player development. Division ‘A’ has 12 teams in four pools, with knockouts from April 9 and the final on April 12. Divisions ‘B’ and ‘C’ will be played in league formats from April 1–6 and April 1–4, respectively. All matches will take place at the Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Astroturf Hockey Stadium.

Notes:
Palak and Mukesh Nelavalli won gold medal in the 10m air pistol mixed team event at the ISSF World Cup 2026, Spain. They set a new world record with a combined score of 487.7, also marking a junior world record. The previous record was held by Uzbekistan shooters. In the final, they defeated China (silver) and Hungary (bronze). International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) governs the event.

Notes:
In tennis, Jannik Sinner won the Monte-Carlo Masters 2026 by defeating Carlos Alcaraz 7-6(5), 6-3 in the final. With this victory, Jannik Sinner reclaimed the World No. 1 ranking for the first time since November last year. The match was played at Roquebrune-Cap-Martin in France, on Court Rainier III in Monaco.

Notes:
Uttarakhand Pushkar Singh Dhami inaugurated the 87th Inter-State Junior and Youth National Table Tennis Championship 2026 in Dehradun. The event was held at the Multipurpose Sports Hall, Parade Ground, marking Uttarakhand’s first time hosting this national-level tournament. Uttarakhand is emerging as a sports hub, with strong performance in the 38th National Games (103 medals).

Notes:
Viktor Axelsen announced his retirement from professional badminton on 15 April 2026 due to recurring back injuries. He is a two-time Olympic gold medallist (2020, 2024) and among the greatest players in badminton history. Axelsen became only the second player after Lin Dan to successfully defend an Olympic title. His career highlights include World Championship titles (2017, 2022) and All England titles (2020, 2022).

Notes:
The Mumbai Cricket Association has become the first state cricket association in India to introduce a central contract system for domestic players from the 2026–27 season. The contracts apply to players not representing India or playing in the Indian Premier League (IPL), aiming to provide financial security. A gradation system (Grade A, B, C) has been introduced, similar to Board of Control for Cricket in India contracts. The move builds on earlier reforms like 100% pay raise for Ranji Trophy players (2024) and aims to strengthen domestic cricket and support emerging talent.

Notes:
Karnataka hosted the 24th National Junior (U20) Athletics Federation Competition 2026. Around 1059 athletes, including 709 male participants, are competing in various track and field events. The event serves as a qualifier for the Asian U20 Athletics Championships to be held in Hong Kong. The competition provides a major platform for young athletes to qualify for international events and represent India.

Notes:
Union Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya attended the 75th anniversary of the National Rifle Association of India. He launched a nationwide grassroots programme to introduce 7.5 lakh school and college students to shooting. The programme is based on a “10-shot experience” to promote early exposure to the sport. It aims to prepare young talent for the 2028 Summer Olympics. The initiative will be implemented with institutions like Central Board of Secondary Education and Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan. A digital platform called NRAI Athlete App was launched for athlete registration, certification, and performance tracking.