Current Affairs - Sports

The 2025 U17 World Wrestling Championships, where Indian women wrestlers achieved remarkable success by winning a total of five medals, took place in Athens. The performance included two golds—won by Rachana in the 43 kg freestyle category and Ashvini Vishnoi in the 65 kg category—along with two silver and one bronze medal. Hosting the event in Athens, a city with a deep-rooted Olympic legacy, added further prestige to the competition. This venue served as the stage for one of India’s standout performances in junior wrestling, demonstrating the country’s growing strength in the sport on an international level.

England won the UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 on July 27, 2025, in Basel, Switzerland, by defeating Spain in a dramatic penalty shoot-out. Despite a rough start—losing their opening match to France—England bounced back with remarkable resilience. Their journey through the knockout stages was intense, with every win coming through extra time. Coach Sarina Wiegman’s tactical brilliance and key performances from players like Chloe Kelly and Alessia Russo played pivotal roles. This victory made England the first team to win the Euros after an opening game loss and marked the first major senior team trophy for the nation on foreign soil.

At the 32nd FISU Summer World University Games 2025 held in the Rhine-Ruhr region of Germany, India secured a total of 12 medals, including 2 gold, 5 silver, and 5 bronze. Although a commendable performance, it fell short of India’s best-ever tally of 26 medals achieved in Chengdu in 2021. The gold medals were won in archery by Sahil Rajesh Jadhav in the men’s individual compound event and by the duo Parneet Kaur and Kushal Dalal in the mixed team compound category. The result reflects consistent international competitiveness but also leaves room for future improvement.

At the FISU World University Games 2025 held in Rhine-Ruhr, Germany, Parneet Kaur and Kushal Dalal secured India’s first gold medal in the compound mixed team archery event. Their victory, with a final score of 157 against the Republic of Korea’s 154, marked a historic moment for India in university-level international sports. This achievement also signifies the growing prominence of compound archery, which is set to debut at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Their performance has spotlighted the potential of Indian athletes in non-mainstream sports and could pave the way for greater investment in training and resources for compound archery nationwide.

Riley Powell, a 16-year-old Welsh prodigy, edged Pankaj Advani 5–4 to clinch the IBSF World 6-Red Snooker Championship title. The victory was particularly dramatic because it came on Advani’s 40th birthday, when he was chasing a remarkable 29th world crown. Powell’s composed comeback, precise potting, and ability to handle pressure in the deciding frames stood out throughout the match. By denying one of cue sports’ most decorated champions yet another title, Powell announced himself on the global stage and underscored the emergence of a new generation capable of challenging long-established greats.