Category: Sports

The Indian grandmaster, Koneru Humpy, defeated the Chinese player, Tingjie Lei, to take second place in the Women’s Candidates Tournament. After a draw with Anna Muzychuk of Ukraine, Zhongyi Tan of China took first place. R. Vaishali’s remarkable performance led to a tie for second place, eventually finishing fourth on tiebreak.

Humpy, Lei, and Vaishali each scored seven points, putting Tan in second place with nine total points.

Humpy’s remarkable recovery—she has five points in the last seven games—was in stark contrast to her early difficulties at the halfway stage. In a close battle with Lei, Humpy took advantage of a crucial mistake to win.

Vaishali emerged victorious in a resounding manner, with Kateryna Lagno losing the match on her thirty-first move due to her lack of resilience. With forty-five moves remaining, Vaishali won with composure.

Lei fell to Humpy, Lagno to Vaishali, Goryachkina to Salimova, and Muzychuk to Tan in the final round. Tan came out on top of the standings, with Humpy, Lei, and Vaishali coming in second, third, and fourth, respectively. Goryachkina took fifth place, with Lagno coming in sixth, Salimova coming in seventh, and Muzychuk coming in eighth.

As the youngest winner of the Candidates Chess Tournament, seventeen-year-old Indian chess prodigy D Gukesh made history and gained the chance to take on the current world champion Ding Liren later in the year. After an incredible trip that saw him secure nine out of fourteen points, Gukesh played against American Grandmaster

Hikaru Nakamura in a draw in the final round. With this feat, he joins the prestigious ranks of Viswanathan Anand, the first Indian to win this competition back in 2014, on his route to winning five world championship titles.

Anand expressed his admiration for Gukesh’s performance on social media, praising him particularly for tackling challenging circumstances effectively.

The result of the last match between Ian Nepomniachtchi of Russia and Fabiano Caruana, the top-seeded American, would determine Gukesh’s triumph. Gukesh’s victory in this match was assured by a draw, saving him from a tie-breaker situation. At the age of 12, Gukesh became the third-youngest Grandmaster in history, continuing his early ascension in the chess world. Among his other achievements is a silver medal from the previous year’s Asian Games in Hangzhou.

As anticipation builds for the forthcoming World Chess Championship, details regarding dates and venues remain pending, adding to the excitement surrounding Gukesh’s upcoming challenge against Ding Liren.

The United States is expected to continue its dominance, at the Paris Summer Gamers leading the medal tally for a record-tying fourth time with 39 gold and 123 overall medals.

With the advantage of being the host country, France is predicted to go up to third place and win 28 gold medals overall. China, meanwhile, is expected to maintain its second-place finish with 35 golds. Britain, Australia, and Japan are predicted by Gracenote to equal the fourth-highest amount of gold, each with 13.

Sanctions following the invasion of Ukraine restrict the Russian Olympic Committee’s involvement, meaning that their presence at the Games is restricted. Despite difficulties in getting ready for the competition because of internal strife, Ukraine is predicted to win 13 medals in total, including three gold.

Tajikistan, Finland, San Marino, Trinidad & Tobago, North Korea, Fiji, Panama, and Vietnam are predicted to finish last in the standings with one bronze medal each. The forecasts made by Gracenote are based on information gathered from international contests since the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.

With the 2028 Olympic Games slated for Los Angeles, the stage is set for continued rivalry and thrills in the sports world.

The legendary tennis player Rafael Nadal made his court comeback at the Barcelona Open following an injury hiatus. His return from a persistent hip issue that had kept him out since January, missing important events like the Australian Open and Indian Wells as well as the majority of the 2023 season, was signalled with his first-round match against Flavio Cobolli.

With an incredible 14 victories under his belt, his presence in Barcelona, especially on the clay courts, suggests a possible comeback before the French Open.

Playing on the Catalan clay brings back memories of his Roland Garros triumph in 2022 for Rafael Nadal. Thanking the organisation for the chance, he hinted that this might be his last season as a professional athlete; however, he did not announce an exact retirement date. Rather, he emphasised his resolve to keep going until he decided it was time to give up the sport.

In addition to raising expectations for his performance on his preferred surface, Rafael Nadal’s comeback highlights his unwavering devotion and resilience in the face of adversity. Followers anxiously anticipate his next movements as he progresses through this remarkable phase of his career.

On Tuesday, the flame for the Paris Olympics was ignited at the historic Greek site of Olympia, marking the start of its journey to the Games. Due to cloudy skies, a backup flame was used instead of the traditional sun-assisted lighting. Despite the change in plans, the event drew thousands of spectators to witness this symbolic moment.

The torch will travel through Greece over a 5,000-kilometre route before reaching Athens for the official handover to the Paris Games organisers on April 26. IOC President Thomas Bach has stressed that this relay is a link to the historic Olympic tradition and a symbol of hope and unity that is especially important in these unsettling times.

The torchbearers include notable athletes like Greek rower Stefanos Douskos and French swimmer Laure Manaudou. While there is praise for the Paris organisers’ preparations and environmental initiatives, there’s also controversy surrounding the decision to offer prize money to gold medalists, seen by some as conflicting with Olympic values.

Following the lighting ceremony, the Olympic flame embarked on its journey to Marseille aboard the historic French sailing ship, the Belem, arriving on May 8.

After an 11-year reign, Bayern Munich’s grasp on the league was broken on Sunday by Bayer Leverkusen, who achieved a thrilling 5-0 victory over Werder Bremen in their inaugural Bundesliga triumph.

Leverkusen’s 29-game unbeaten streak this season, under the wise guidance of Xabi Alonso, engraved their name in history and secured their first league title since 1993.

With five games left and a commanding 16-point advantage over Bayern, Leverkusen looks set for more success. Their incredible adventure doesn’t end in the Bundesliga; they’re still going strong in the German Cup and the Europa League, where they’re leading West Ham United 2-0 in the quarterfinals.

Florian Wirtz’s incredible hat trick highlighted Leverkusen’s title-sealing victory over Bremen, extending the team’s unbeaten streak to an incredible 43 games this season across all competitions.

Overwhelmed by the accomplishment, Wirtz voiced his disbelief, and Alonso, thinking back on their victory, stressed how crucial it is to end Bayern’s stranglehold on the Bundesliga’s survival and the general competitiveness of German football.

Alonso maintains composure in the face of their historic victory, pointing out that the squad is concentrating on future tasks and possible victories in other events. With their victory, Leverkusen has reached a significant milestone in their history, and the club and its supporters are ecstatic. They are now focused on continuing their success in the upcoming games.

On Friday, Kristalina Georgieva, a Bulgarian economist, was chosen by the International Monetary Fund’s executive board for a second five-year term as managing director. She will be beginning her term on October 1, 2024. She was the sole candidate for the position. According to the customary procedure wherein European states select the IMF managing director, the decision was made after European Union finance ministers approved Georgieva for the position.

The board praised Georgieva’s skillful leadership in leading the IMF through major international problems during her last term. Georgieva conveyed her appreciation for being re-elected and emphasised her resolve to stay in close contact with the outstanding team at the IMF.

The IMF has given member nations crucial help during several crises, including the COVID-19 epidemic and geopolitical tensions, under Georgieva’s direction. During her tenure, there was an emphasis on topics including fragility and conflict, digital transformation, and climate change.

Janet Yellen, the secretary of the U.S. Treasury, praised Georgieva’s reappointment and emphasised the IMF’s crucial role in preserving world economic stability. As the first female head of the IMF from an emerging market economy, Georgieva has encountered and overcome obstacles while exhibiting resilience and commitment to the organisation’s goals.

Grandmasters R Praggnanandhaa and Vidit Gujrathi won in a thrilling sixth round of the Candidates Chess Tournament in Toronto, extending India’s remarkable performance. Praggnanandhaa defeated Nijat Abasov, and Gujrathi outplayed Alireza. 

Meanwhile, D Gukesh and Hikaru Nakamura drew to maintain shared leadership. Gukesh and Ian Nepomniachtchi lead the men’s division with four points apiece.

While Gujrathi achieved a strategic triumph over Alireza, Praggnanandhaa demonstrated his might in a tactical victory over Abasov. The result of Gukesh’s matchup with Nakamura was a tie. Fabiano Caruana and Praggnanandhaa are tied for third place, with Gujrathi trailing closely behind.

Praggnanandhaa was confident in his performance despite difficulties, stressing the value of doing well in every circumstance. The early surprise move by Gujrathi worked, and Gukesh’s game ended in a draw. 

Furthermore, R Vaishali and Koneru Humpy, representing India, lost to Tingjie Lei and Kateryna Lagno, respectively, in the women’s category. Lagno defeated Vaishali, and Lei defeated Humpy.

China’s Zhongyi Tan dominated the women’s division, defeating Anna Muzychuk to take the lead with 4.5 points. Goryachkina, with four points, is not far behind. Lei is in third place, behind Lagno. Humpy and Vaishali trail by 2 and 2.5 points, respectively.

Indian-American players Sahith Theegala, who won his first PGA title in September, and Akshay Bhatia, who recently won the PGA Texas Open, are optimistic that their Masters victories will boost Indian golf.

The 22-year-old Indian-American Bhatia earned a berth in the Masters by winning the Valero Texas Open. He had a shoulder problem, yet he had an incredible game in both the regular season and the playoffs. Sahith Theegala, who is ranked No. 15, is gaining popularity alongside him. Their achievements are similar to the rise of Indian CEOs in US corporations.

After competing in the 2014 Augusta National Dive Chip and Putt finals, Bhatia’s desire to win the Masters has always been strong. His flight from San Antonio to Augusta was quick, arriving by private aircraft. Both players are aware of their impact on Indians and Indian Americans throughout the globe; Theegala takes pride in the backing he gets, while Bhatia shares stories of his interactions with younger Indian golfers.

With Theegala’s stellar debut from the previous year and Bhatia hoping to become the first rookie winner since 1979, their prospects at Augusta seem bright. Bhatia has even more advantages because left-handers like him have always performed well at Augusta. If they are successful, their influence will extend well beyond the golf course.

On Monday, Chennai Super Kings’ all-rounder, Ravindra Jadeja, made IPL history during their convincing seven-wicket win against the Kolkata Knight Riders. Jadeja showcased his all-round brilliance, taking three wickets in his first eight deliveries and securing two catches.

His performance saw him reach a milestone of 100 catches in the IPL, making him the first player to achieve at least 100 catches, 1,000 runs, and 100 wickets in the tournament. With 156 wickets and 2,776 runs, Jadeja has become one of the league’s most valuable assets, joining elite players like Kohli, Raina, Pollard, and Sharma for the most catches by a fielder.

Jadeja modestly mentioned that he doesn’t keep track of his catches. Despite this, he expressed his enjoyment of bowling at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai and highlighted the importance of bowling in the right areas. He explained that his strategy was simply to target the correct zones, emphasising that he had practised extensively at the venue and believed that accuracy in bowling would lead to success.

Chennai Super Kings, recovering from consecutive losses, now sit fourth in the IPL standings with three wins from five games.