Articles - The Junior Age

India’s New Record Holder: Smriti Mandhana Smashes Fastest ODI Hundred

September 22, 2025 Mitali k

There is a new record break in the cricket world for India! Smriti Mandhana has set the cricketing world alight with a breathtaking display of batting brilliance. In the third ODI against Australia at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi, Smriti shattered records! She smashed her way to a century in just 50 balls, creating history as the fastest Indian (male or female) to reach an ODI hundred. The Junior Age has more details for you.

Smriti Mandhana Shatters Record with Fastest Indian ODI Hundred in 50 Balls:

Smriti Mandhana has just set the cricketing world on fire. In a high-voltage clash against Australia at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi, the Indian opener smashed her way to a breathtaking hundred in only 50 balls. With this, she has become the fastest Indian (man or woman) to score a century in One Day Internationals.

Her innings wasn’t just fast, it was explosive. She struck 17 fours and 5 sixes, racing to three figures with a mix of precision and sheer power. It came while chasing a mammoth target of 413, adding even more weight to her performance.

Why This Century Matters

A Historic First for India
No Indian before Smriti has ever scored an ODI hundred this quickly. For years, Virat Kohli held the record with his 52-ball ton against Australia back in 2013.

Boost for Women’s Cricket
This isn’t just a personal record. It shifts perception. Smriti Mandhana now holds the fastest Indian ODI hundred across genders, showing the growing firepower and confidence of women’s cricket.

India’s New Record Holder: Smriti Mandhana Smashes Fastest ODI Hundred — Cricbuzz

Globally, Mandhana’s effort now stands as the second fastest century in women’s ODI cricket history, just behind Meg Lanning’s 45-ball whirlwind against New Zealand in 2012.

Cricket history has witnessed many iconic knocks, but this one is set apart by the barriers it breaks and the doors it opens. India didn’t just see a century. It saw the future of cricket unfold.

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Donald Trump’s Second State Visit to The United Kingdom

September 20, 2025 Mitali k

US President Donald Trump recently visited the United Kingdom for a State Visit. This was his first time a foreign leader had been accorded this honour twice. From 16 to 18 September 2025, Donald Trump saw a mix of royal ceremonies, business agreements, and public demonstrations. The Junior Age has all the details below!

Check Out All the Details About Donald Trump and His Visit to the United Kingdom:

Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump were welcomed by King Charles III and Queen Camilla at Windsor Castle, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer hosting key meetings. The visit included a state banquet, military procession, and discussions on trade, technology, and diplomacy.

All About the Key Agreements – Business Deals and Investment

One of the major highlights was that the two nations signed a massive £31 billion (US$42 billion) Tech Prosperity Deal by bringing US tech giants, such as Microsoft, Google, and Nvidia, to the UK. This sets the stage for UK-US collaboration on AI, quantum computing, nuclear energy, and faster technology licensing procedures.

Donald Trump’s Second State Visit to The United Kingdom — Credits: Reuters

The investment is expected to support sectors such as clean energy, life sciences, and advanced manufacturing, creating approximately 7,600 new jobs. Along with this, Prime Minister Keir Starmer and President Donald Trump also discussed trade and world issues.

The State Visit showcased the ‘special relationship’ between the UK and the US, combining royal tradition with business diplomacy.

What Is a State Visit? How Is It Different from a Meeting?

A state visit is a very special type of visit by a foreign leader, like a president or prime minister, to another country. It is not just about talking or signing deals; it is official, ceremonial, and often involves the country’s head of state, like a king or queen. During a state visit, there are usually grand welcomes, parades, banquets, and official speeches, showing respect and friendship between countries.

In contrast, a meeting is usually simpler. Leaders might sit together, discuss business or politics, and make agreements, but it doesn’t involve royal ceremonies, big parades, or fancy banquets. Think of a state visit as a ‘special event’ version of a meeting, where business, friendship, and pageantry all come together!

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Nupur Sheoran’s Journey to Silver Triumph at World Championships

September 19, 2025 Mitali k

India has been creating buzz about a Boxing Championship, all for the right reason. The Junior Age brings you the inspiring story of Nupur Sheoran, India’s new boxing star, who fought her way to a Silver medal at the World Boxing Championships 2025. Nupur’s journey is packed with grit, comebacks, and powerful punches.

Know all about Nupur Sheoran and her story shows how determination can turn challenges into Boxing Championship triumphs:

When you grow up in the family of boxing royalty, expectations are heavy. Born on 26 September 1998 in Haryana, for Nupur Sheoran, though, that weight has turned into power. With a strong legacy, it was only a matter of time before Nupur stepped into the ring herself.

Haryana has long been India’s boxing heartland, producing names like Vijender Singh and Mary Kom’s fiercest sparring partners. Nupur grew up surrounded by gloves, bags, and ringside stories. Her father, Sanjay Singh Sheoran, is also a former boxer and today runs the Captain Hawa Singh Boxing Academy in Bhiwani. That gym became her playground, and later, her battlefield.

By 2015, she had chosen boxing as her path. Training was never easy. Hours of drills, bruised knuckles, and the shadow of her grandfather’s reputation followed her. But rather than being crushed by that pressure, Nupur used it as motivation.

Nupur Sheoran’s Journey to Silver Triumph at World Championships — Wikipedia

National Dominance & Turning Point for Nupur Sheoran

In India, she quickly rose to the top. Nupur became a five-time national champion, dominating her weight category. Coaches admired her tall frame, sharp jab, and mental toughness. But her real test was yet to come, proving herself on the world stage.

In 2023, Nupur suffered a serious foot injury that could have ended her career. Instead, she came back stronger, switching to the +80 kg heavyweight division, a category where India has rarely won medals. Her height of 1.83 metres gave her a natural reach advantage, but it also meant fewer sparring partners of her size in India. Finding balance in this new category was a fresh challenge.

Also read, India Women’s Boxers Shine At World Boxing Cup Kazakhstan 2025

Silver Medal for India In World Boxing Championships 2025

In 2025, at the World Boxing Championships in Liverpool, Nupur delivered one of the finest performances of her career. She battled past Uzbekistan’s Oltinoy Sotimboeva with a convincing 4-1 win in the quarterfinals, securing at least a bronze medal for India. She didn’t stop there. With grit and power, she reached the final, where she fought Poland’s Agata Kaczmarska.

The match was tough and went down to the wire. In the end, Nupur lost 2–3, but her silver medal was historic. It marked a breakthrough for Indian women in the heavyweight category, shining a spotlight on a division often overlooked.

For Nupur Sheoran, silver is not the end. It is the beginning of a bigger journey. Her story is proof that legacies are not just inherited, they are built, one fight at a time.

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Enter the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympics Medal Design Contest Now

September 17, 2025 Mitali k

Have you ever dreamed of your artwork being seen by the whole world? Well, here’s your chance. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has launched a global medal design competition for the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympics Games. And yes, anyone can enter!

Be the Artist Behind the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympics Medals, All Details Below:

The Youth Olympic Games (YOG) are heading to Dakar, Senegal, in 2026, the very first Olympic event to be hosted in Africa. To celebrate this milestone, the IOC wants a fresh, creative medal design, and they’re asking the world to help.

Your design could be the one that the athletes wear when they win gold, silver, or bronze.

How to Enter the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Medal Design Contest

Dates: The contest is open from 2 September to 7 October 2025.
Where: Submissions are made on the official website here.
Task: You need to design ONLY the front side of the medal.

PS: The back will feature Senegalese culture and the official YOG emblem.

Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Medal Design — The National News

To Win, Your Design Should:

Be creative and original
Connect with the spirit of the Youth Olympics (youth, unity, energy, and sport)
Be practical – something that can actually be made into a medal
Include the required text: ‘Dakar 2026 – Youth Olympic Games’, and the official Olympic rings.
Come with a short description explaining what your design means.

Who Decides The Winner?

A special jury will look at all entries. It includes past winners, IOC Young Leaders, Senegalese representatives, and even Elzo Jamdong, the Dakar 2026 ambassador. They will pick the best design and pass it to the IOC Executive Board for approval.

Quick tips if you want to try

Think about the feeling of victory. What should the medal remind athletes of every time they see it?
Keep it simple but powerful. Too many tiny details might not show well on a medal.
Get inspired by Senegalese patterns, colours, and symbols, but make it your own.
Don’t forget the rules. If you miss a mandatory element, your design could be out.

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Chess Star Vaishali Rameshbabu Creates History with Back-to-Back Grand Swiss Wins

September 16, 2025 Mitali k

Vaishali Rameshbabu is making Indian chess history! The 24-year-old Grandmaster from Chennai successfully defended her FIDE Women’s Grand Swiss title in 2025, securing a spot in the 2026 Women’s Candidates Tournament. The Junior Age has all the details on her victories, milestones, and what makes her one of India’s brightest young sports stars.

Vaishali Rameshbabu Creates History By Winning Double Grand Swiss Champion:

Vaishali Rameshbabu has written a dazzling new chapter in Indian chess. The 24-year-old Grandmaster from Chennai has successfully defended her FIDE Women’s Grand Swiss title in 2025, becoming only the second woman ever to win the event twice in a row. Her victory also confirmed her place in the Women’s Candidates Tournament 2026, where she will battle for a shot at the world championship crown.

In the final round on the Isle of Man, Vaishali held former world champion Tan Zhongyi of China to a steady draw, finishing with 8.5 points out of 11. That was enough to edge ahead of her closest rivals and lift the trophy once again. Last year, she had stunned the chess world by winning the Grand Swiss for the first time, and now she has proved it was no one-off.

Chess Star Vaishali Rameshbabu Creates History with Back-to-Back Grand Swiss Wins — Wikipedia

Vaishali’s journey has been extraordinary. She first grabbed attention as a youngster when she beat Magnus Carlsen in a simul at age 12. She went on to win two World Youth titles, became a Woman Grandmaster in 2018, and finally crossed the 2500 rating barrier in 2023 to earn her Grandmaster title. Alongside her younger brother Praggnanandhaa, she has made history as part of the first-ever brother-sister GM duo.

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