Sports

• Lionel Messi won The Best FIFA Men’s Player award at the FIFA Football Awards ceremony in London.
• Messi secured the award for the 3rd time in the last 4 years.
• Aitana Bonmati, the Spain and Barcelona striker, received the Best FIFA Women’s Player Award.
• Pep Guardiola, the coach of Manchester City, was named the Best Men’s Manager.
• Sarina Wiegman, the England coach, won the Best Woman Coach award for the fourth time.
• Ederson, the Manchester City goalkeeper, was honored with the Best Men’s Goalkeeper award.
• Mary Earps, the goalkeeper for Manchester United and England, won the Women’s Goalkeeper award.

Q: Who won The Best FIFA Men’s Player award at the FIFA Football Awards ceremony in January 2024?

a) Kylian Mbappe
b) Erling Haaland
c) Lionel Messi
d) Aitana Bonmati

Ans : c) Lionel Messi

Q: Which female football player received the Best FIFA Women’s Player Award at the Award ceremony in January 2024?

a) Mary Earps
b) Aitana Bonmati
c) Sarina Wiegman
d) Kylian Mbappe

Ans: b) Aitana Bonmati

• Varun Tomar and Esha Singh secured India’s 14th and 15th Olympic quota places in shooting at the Asian Olympic Qualifiers in Jakarta, Indonesia.
• Varun Tomar won gold in the men’s 10m air pistol event with a score of 239.6, while Arjun Cheema secured the silver medal.
• Esha Singh claimed gold in the women’s 10m air pistol event with a score of 243.1, and Talat Kishmala of Pakistan won silver, earning the second quota place.
• A total of three medals, including a team gold, were won by India on the opening day of the continental event.
• The 10m air pistol events for men and women at the qualifiers offer a total of four Olympic quota places, with a maximum of three for Indian shooters.
• A total of 16 quota places for the Paris Olympics are available at the Jakarta event.

Q: In which event did Varun Tomar win a gold medal to secure an Olympic quota place?

a. Men’s 10m Air Rifle
b. Men’s 25m Rapid Fire Pistol
c. Men’s 50m Pistol
d. Men’s 10m Air Pistol

Answer: d. Men’s 10m Air Pistol

Q: In which event did Esha Singh win a gold medal to secure an Olympic quota place?

a. Women’s 10m Air Rifle
b. Women’s 25m Rapid Fire Pistol
c. Women’s 50m Pistol
d. Women’s 10m Air Pistol

Answer: d. Women’s 10m Air Pistol

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced the groups for the 2024 T20 Men’s Cricket World Cup. The tournament will be held from June 1 to June 29, 2024, in the West Indies and the United States. It features 20 teams, an expansion from 16 teams in the 2022 tournament. The top eight teams from the 2022 tournament and the two hosts qualified automatically. The remaining eight teams were decided via a regional qualification process.

The 20 teams will be divided into five groups of four, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the Super 8 round. In the Super 8, the teams will be divided into two groups of four, with the top two teams from each group qualifying for the knockout stage, consisting of two semi-finals and a final.

Defending champions England have been placed in Group A alongside Australia and Scotland. Ireland has been grouped alongside India and Pakistan. Nepal and Uganda are the two new entrants in the tournament, playing in Group D and Group E, respectively.

Q: When will the 2024 T20 Men’s Cricket World Cup be held in the West Indies and the United States?

a. June 1 to June 15, 2024
b. June 1 to June 29, 2024
c. July 1 to July 15, 2024
d. July 1 to July 29, 2024

Ans : b. June 1 to June 29, 2024

The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports announced the Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar 2023 on January 4, 2024.

1. Odisha Mining Corporate Limited received an award in the category of Encouragement to Sports through Corporate Social Responsibility.
2. Jain Deemed to be University in Bengaluru was honored for the identification and nurturing of budding and young talent.
3. The awards will be presented by President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan in a specially organized function on the 9th of this month.
4. Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar is bestowed upon corporate entities, Sports Control Boards, NGOs, and sports bodies at the State and National level.

MCQs

1. Which company received the Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar for Encouragement to Sports through Corporate Social Responsibility?
   a. Indian Railway
   b. Odisha Mining Corporate Limited
   c. Sports Control Boards
   d. Power Grid India Ltd
2. What is Jain Deemed to be University in Bengaluru awarded for in the Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar 2023?
   a. Encouragement to Sports through CSR
   b. Nurturing budding and young talent
   c. Promotion of sports at the State level
   d. Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives