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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.

Stay tuned to The Junior Age for more updates!

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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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Anandkumar Velkumar and Krish Sharma Strike Double Gold in Skating

September 16, 2025 Mitali k

India has two brand-new heroes on wheels! Anandkumar Velkumar and Krish Sharma both clinched gold medals in speed skating, making it a landmark moment for Indian sports. Their stunning performances brought cheers across the country and gave young skaters fresh dreams to chase. The Junior Age has all the details on how these champs raced their way to glory.

Anandkumar Velkumar and Krish Sharma Bag Two Golds For India in Speed Skating, All Details Below:

Anandkumar Velkumar’s Golden Glide In Speed Skating

Anandkumar Velkumar, aged 22, etched his name in history by winning India’s first-ever gold at the Speed Skating World Championships in the senior men’s 1000 m sprint. His victory lap was timed at 1:24.924, leaving his rivals trailing in the final lap. Just a day earlier, Anandkumar had already made headlines by becoming the first Indian to clinch a senior Worlds medal with a bronze in the 500 m sprint, clocking 43.072 seconds.

Anandkumar Velkumar and Krish Sharma Strike Double Gold in Skating — World Skate Official

Krish Sharma’s Sprint to Glory

Racing in the junior men’s 1000 m sprint, Krish executed a perfectly timed move with two laps to go, powering ahead and building a lead that his rivals could not close. He held his nerve right till the finish line, securing gold for India in style. The silver medal went to Lu Dengbo of China, while Gabriel Reyes of Chile settled for bronze. Krish’s determined sprint not only earned him the top spot on the podium but also underlined the rising strength of India’s younger generation in the global speed skating scene.

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England Make History as the First Full Member Nation to Cross 300 in T20I

September 13, 2025 Mitali k

England have stormed into cricket history by smashing past 300 runs in a men’s T20 International. They are the first Full Member nation to achieve this jaw-dropping milestone. The record left fans stunned and statisticians scrambling. And The Junior Age has all the details!

Know All About How England Became the Third Team Ever to Hit 300 in T20I:

In a high-scoring clash, England’s batting line-up exploded with power, precision, and fearless hitting. Every boundary seemed to send shockwaves across the stadium. By the time their 20 overs were up, England had racked up a jaw-dropping total that pushed them into the record books.

This was not an easy day at the crease. Before this, only two smaller cricket teams (called Associate nations) had ever scored more than 300 runs in a T20 game. But England is the first Full Member team to do it! Full Member teams are the top cricket teams recognised by the International Cricket Council (ICC) to smash through this milestone.

Why Is It Such a Big Deal That England Became the Third Team Ever to Hit 300?

Scoring 300 in a T20I is no small feat. Think about it: in a 20-over game, each team gets just 120 balls to face. To score 300, the batting side needs to average at least 15 runs every over. That means constant sixes, fours, quick running, and almost no dull moments.

For perspective, even a score of 180 or 200 in T20 cricket is considered massive. Crossing 300 is like running a marathon at sprinting speed, almost unthinkable until now.

England Make History as the First Full Member Nation to Cross 300 in T20I — ESPN

Who Played The Key Roles In Smashing This Record?

Leading the charge was Phil Salt, who hammered an unbeaten 141 off just 60 balls, including a flurry of fours and sixes. He was well supported by captain Jos Buttler (83 runs in just 30 balls), Jacob Bethel (26), and Harry Brook himself (41 runs with no out).

Know What Records Were Broken Along the Way

This historic knock did not just make England the first Full Member team to cross 300 in a T20I. It also brought several mini-records:

One of the highest team totals in T20 history.
Multiple batsmen reaching explosive half-centuries.
A flurry of sixes that set new benchmarks for power hitting.

Cricket statisticians had a busy day noting down each milestone, as history was being made ball after ball.

Also read, Shubman Gill Writes History: Shatters Long-Standing Indian Cricket Records.

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Chandrapuram Ponnusamy Radhakrishnan Elected As India’s 15th Vice-President

September 10, 2025 Mitali k

India has a brand-new Vice-President! The Members of Parliament (MPs) voted and chose Chandrapuram Ponnusamy Radhakrishnan as the country’s 15th Vice-President. The Junior Age has all the details for you.

Know All The Details About India’s 15th Vice President – Chandrapuram Ponnusamy Radhakrishnan:

On 9 September 2025, C. P. Radhakrishnan, seasoned BJP veteran and Maharashtra’s Governor, clinched victory as India’s 15th Vice-President. Chandrapuram Ponnusamy Radhakrishnan was declared the winner shortly after the voting concluded in the vice presidential elections. The NDA-backed nominee received 452 votes, while Sudershan Reddy got 300 votes. His landslide win, amid whispers of cross-voting and high turnout, marks a major constitutional win for the NDA.

All About The Voting Numbers

When it came to voting numbers, out of 781 Members of Parliament, 767 turned up to vote, which was around 98% turnout. When the ballots were counted, C.P. Radhakrishnan won by a landslide of 452 votes, while his opposition, Sudershan Reddy’s votes received 300. Fifteen votes were invalid, but they did not change the story. The margin of votes was around 152.

Usually, Vice-Presidential polls do not hog headlines. However, this one did as it came early after former Vice President of India Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned for health reasons.

Chandrapuram Ponnusamy Radhakrishnan Elected As India’s 15th Vice-President

After winning, India’s 15th Vice-President C.P. Radhakrishnan called his win ‘a win of nationalistic ideology’. He reminded everyone that democracy isn’t about one side alone. Ruling and opposition, he said, are like two sides of the same coin. His vision? To see India developed by 2047, when the country turns 100.

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Author: Mitali k