Sports - Current Affairs for April, 2016

Indian rower Dattu Baban Bhokanal has qualified for the Rio Olympics after winning a silver in the men’s single sculls event at the FISA Asian and Oceania Olympic Qualification Regatta at Chung-ju in South Korea.

• The 25-year-old army man clocked 7 minutes, 7.63 seconds in the 2 km course to finish second. The top seven in the finals qualify for the Rio Games.
• Bhokanal will be the lone Indian rower taking part in Rio Games as no more qualifying events are left now, representing India after Kasam Khan and Inderpal Singh (Sydney 2000; men’s coxless pairs), Paulose Pandari Kunnel (Athens 2004; men’s singles sculls), Bajrang Takhar (Beijing 2008; men’s singles sculls), Manjit Singh and Devender Khandwal (Beijing 2008; men’s lightweight double sculls) and Sawarn Singh (London 2012; men’s singles sculls) and Manjit Singh and Sandeep Kumar (London 2012; men’s lightweight double sculls).

Japanese Olympic organiser on 25th April 2016 launched official logos of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games. The emblems, designed by Asao Tokolo, feature an indigo-coloured check in the design.

• The Olympic logo features a circular Japanese traditional checkered pattern. Below the design are the words Tokyo 2020 and under them the five interlocking Olympic rings.
• Logos encompass unity in diversity

Two-time Olympic 400-meter hurdles gold medalist champion Felix Sanchez announced his retirement on 26 April 2016. The announcement means that the 38-year-old will not defend his title at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

Sanath Jayasuirya on 27th April 2016 announced appointment of Sanath Jayasuriya as chief selector of the Sri Lankan cricket team

• His committee will succeed Aravinda de Silva led committee
• The new four member selection panel will take office on 1 May 2016
• It will serve for two years
• It will comprise of former wicketkeeper-batsman Romesh Kaluwitharana, former fast bowler Eric Upashantha and former off spinner Ranjith Madurasinghe.

Badminton ace Nandu Natekar in April 2016 became the first non-Cricketer to be inducted into the Legends Club founded by the late Cricket Club of India (CCI) president Raj Singh Dungarpur.

• Natekar was inducted into the club along with 1983 World Cup-winning captain Kapil Dev, who became the sixth cricketer to be inducted in the club.
• The two, Nandu and Kapil were inducted into the Club’s legend group after consultation with the Cricket Club of India (CCI) president, Kekoo Nicholson.
• Others in the club include Vijay Merchant, Vijay Hazare, Vinoo Mankad, Sunil Gavaskar and Sachin Tendulkar.

International Cricket Council in the board meeting on 26th April 2016 suspended Cricket Association of Nepal in view of government interference on board

• Suspension will stay in place till CAN becomes free of government interference
• NSC or Nepal National Sports Council formed an adhoc committee to run CAN in December 2015 after Chand Bahadur Chand was elected CAN President after a meeting held without NSC permission
• Chand led CAN faction then filled a court cause challenging NSC’s decision

Mairaj Ahmed Khan on 25 April 2016 won silver medal for India in the men's skeet event at ISSF World Cup in Rio de Janeiro.

• This will be the first skeet medal for India at a World Cup.
• Mairaj lost gold medal to Marcus Svensson of Sweden. Tamarro Casandro of Italy won the bronze.

Wrestler Sandeep Tomar has secured an Olympic quota for India in the men’s 57 kg freestyle category with a bronze medal finish on the final day of the 1st World Olympic Qualifying tournament.

• 25 year old Sandeep became the fourth Indian wrestler after Yogeshwar Dutt, Narsingh Yadav and Hardeep Singh to book a berth for the Rio Games held later.
• Only top three finalists in each weight category are eligible for the Olympic berth- Sandeep had to win over the other bronze medallist in his category for a lone third place finish.

Rafael Nadal has equalled Argentine legend Guillermo Vilas’s record of 49 clay court titles with the ninth Barcelona Open after defending champion Kei Nishikori 6-4, 9-5 on 24th April 2016. Winning the Monte Carlo Masters, Nadal has won his opening 10 matches of the European clay court ahead of the quest to land a record 10th French open in the upcoming months.

This launched the torch relay for the first ever South American games. The Olympic Games this time have been overshadowed by the political crisis in Brazil. Rio games would be a message of hope in troubled times. The 4 month Olympic torch relay will cross part of Greece and numerous Brazilian cities before arriving at Marcana Stadium in Rio.

Union Government in the third week of April 2016 has merged Rajiv Gandhi Khel Abhigyan with Khelo India programme for the development of sports.

• Two other sport projects, Urban Sports Infrastructure Scheme (USIS) and National Sports Talent Search Scheme (NSTSS), launched by the Congress-led UPA regime have also been absorbed under Khelo India.
• Khelo India is based on Gujarat's model of Khel Mahakumbh, in which schools and colleges from different parts of the country participate in about 27 disciplines.
• RGKA is a CSS scheme.

Novak Djokovic pipped the likes of Usain Bolt and Lionel Messi to win the ‘Sportsman of the Year’ trophy for a third time

• Serena Williams clinched the top honour in the women’s category at the Laureus World Awards in Berlin.
• Djokovic, who won this award in 2012 and ’15, walked away with it for a second successive time after clinching three Grand Slams – Australian, Wimbledon and US Open – last year.
• He was also the finalist in the French Open.
• Messi, who had been nominated for a fifth time, once again lost out on the top award.

Dipa Karmakar has created history by becoming the first Indian woman gymnast to qualify for Olympics as the 22-year-old garnered a total score of 52.698 points in the Olympics qualifying event to book a berth for artistic gymnastics in Rio Games.

• Apart from being the first Indian woman, she will also be an Indian gymnast qualifying for the quadrennial extravaganza after 52 long years.
• Since the independence of the country, 11 Indian male gymnast have taken part in the Olympics (two in 1952, three in 1956 and six in 1964) but this will be the first for an Indian woman at the Olympics
• Dipa had also created history by becoming the first woman gymnast to win a medal — a bronze — in the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in 2014.

Indian lady boxer MC Mary Kom has added an honour to her list of accolades as she becomes one of 8 ambassadors for the upcoming World Championships by the AIBA. She has 5 World Championship gold medals to her credit.

• Mary Kom is also a bronze medalist of the 2012 London Olympics
• AIBA has dubbed her Magnificent Mary for her outstanding performance

Maharashtra Governor C Vidyasagar Rao on 12th April 2016 conferred the Hridaynath Award on Chess wizard Viswanathan Anand in Mumbai.

• He was conferred the award during the celebrations of 25th anniversary of the Hridayesh Arts which gives the awards.
• He was chosen for the award for his contributions to the game of Chess in India by becoming 5-time world chess champion.
• Others who have received the award include Asha Bhosle, AR Rahman and Hariprasad Chaurasia.

India’s only U12 FIDE master from women’s category, Divya Deshmukh settled for silver at the Youth Chess Championship at Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

• She could not beat second seed Nurgali Nazerke of Kazakhstan though she did defeat Iran’s Sebt Rasoul Seyede
• Other Indians in the game include Mrudul Dehankar and Raunak Sadhwani. With five points Mrudul Dehankar got the fifth place in the U-12 girls' section and Raunak Sadhwani finished 12th in the U-12 open boys category.

Joshua became the second reigning world heavyweight champion from Britain when he knocked out Charles Martin in the second round at 02 Arena on 9th April, 2016. Anthony Joshua is a 2012 Olympic gold medallist who captured his first world title in what is only his 16th professional fight.

• Joshua turned pro in October 2013
• He was the fifth quickest heavyweight to win the world title and the second reigning heavyweight champion from Britain along with Tyson Fury who holds the World Boxing Association and World Boxing Organisation belts

Badminton star Lee Chong Wei won his 11th Malaysian Open title on 10th April, a boost for his still elusive Olympic gold medal. Lee won devastating rounds against world number one Chen Long from China beating him 21-13, 21-8 in a 42 minute match.

Following Pakistan’s dismal show in the ICC World T-20, Shahid Afridi stepped down as team captain but will continue to play in the shortest format of the game. Afridi led Pakistan failed to make it to the semifinals of the World T20 in India, were comments drew the wrath of former players. The 36 year old skipper had earlier hinted the World T-20 could be his last.

He retired from Test format of the game in 2010.

World Championship bronze medalist Shiv Thapa became the first Indian boxer to make the cut for this year’s Olympics by entering Asian Qualifying Tournament final but MC Mary Kom failed to make the cut after losing in the last four stage here.