Olympiad Test Level 2: Current Affairs - 2 - Class 4 MCQ

Balraj Panwar clinched India’s inaugural Paris 2024 rowing quota, securing bronze in men’s single sculls at the Asian and Oceanian Olympic Qualification Regatta in Chungju, Korea. After narrowly missing bronze at the Hangzhou Asian Games, the 25-year-old clocked 7:17.87 in heats and 7:16.29 in semis, entering the finals. With top five securing Paris 2024 quotas, Panwar finished third at 7:01.27. Kazakhstan’s Vladislav Yakovlev won, with Memo from Indonesia taking bronze.

Aman Sehrawat made history as the first Indian male wrestler to clinch a quota for the 2024 Paris Olympics. At the World Wrestling Olympic Qualifiers in Istanbul, he secured the Paris quota in the men’s 57kg freestyle category by defeating Chongsong Han of Korea 12-2 in the semi-final. This marks India’s sixth quota in wrestling for the 2024 Olympics, with all previous five quotas won by Indian women wrestlers.

Olympic Day is celebrated worldwide on June 23, marking the foundation of the International Olympic Committee in Paris in 1894. Proposed by Dr. Josef Gruss in 1947, the first Olympic Day was celebrated in 1948. The 2024 theme, “Let’s Move and Celebrate,” encourages global participation in sports. The 33rd Summer Olympics will be held in Paris from July 26 to August 11, 2024.

Four-time Olympian and 2012 bronze medallist Gagan Narang replaced Mary Kom as India’s chef-de-mission for the 2024 Olympics, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) announced. Mary Kom stepped down due to health issues. IOA President P.T. Usha expressed confidence in the athletes’ preparedness. P.V. Sindhu will be the female flagbearer. The Paris Olympics will run from July 26 to August 11, 2024.

The 33rd edition of the Olympics began in Paris, featuring 32 different sports, including new additions like breakdancing (Breaking), surfing, skateboarding, and sport climbing. The first-ever Olympics were held in Athens, Greece, in 1896, and the Games occur every four years. The five Olympic rings symbolize the ‘five parts of the world’ where the Olympic movement prevails. The Olympic motto, ‘Citius-Altius-Fortius,’ translates from Latin to ‘Faster-Higher-Stronger’ in English.

World Children’s Day is observed on November 20 each year to promote children’s welfare and protect their rights. It was established in 1954 by the United Nations as Universal Children’s Day. The day advocates for children’s well-being and fosters global togetherness. The theme for 2024, “Listen to the Future,” highlights the importance of including children’s voices in decisions that affect their lives. It emphasizes creating a nurturing and equitable world for the next generation.

Airports Authority of India (AAI) is observing Aviation Safety Awareness Week 2024 from November 25 to 29 at all its airports and Air Navigation Services locations. The initiative includes week-long activities across India to promote aviation safety. AAI Chairman Vipin Kumar highlighted the importance of safety, aligning efforts with the ICAO Global Aviation Safety Plan.

At the 2024 Paris Olympics, Swapnil Kusale won a bronze medal in the men’s 50m rifle 3 Positions event. This is India’s third Olympic medal in rifle shooting, following Abhinav Bindra’s gold in 2008 and Gagan Narang’s bronze in 2012. Liu Yukun of China won gold, and Ukraine’s Serhiy Kulish took silver. The competition was held at the National Shooting Center in Châteauroux, Paris.

Athletes from Russia and Belarus are banned from competing under their national flags at the Paris Olympics. Instead, they compete as Athlètes Individuals Neutres (AIN), or Individual Neutral Athletes. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) imposed this ban after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, which violated the Olympic Truce that prohibits attacks between a week before the Olympics and a week after the Paralympics.

Novak Djokovic became the fifth tennis player to achieve a Golden Slam by winning the men’s singles gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics, defeating Carlos Alcaraz in straight sets. This victory, added to his Grand Slam titles at the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open, places him alongside legends like Rafael Nadal, Serena Williams, Andre Agassi, and Steffi Graf. Djokovic had previously won a bronze medal in the 2008 Beijing Olympics but did not medal in the subsequent Olympics.