Indian Sports Calendar May 2024: Major events to look forward to this month

Published at :May 1, 2024 at 3:33 PM

Modified at :May 3, 2024 at 6:52 PM

Archery, athletics, and the IPL playoffs take center stage.

As anticipation builds for the Paris Olympics and Paralympics 2024, sportspersons are sparing no effort to secure their spots at these prestigious events. May’s Indian Sports Calendar will also see athletes participating in multiple Olympic and Paralympic qualifying tournaments, striving to meet the Olympic qualification standards.

In April, Indian athletes shone in archery as Dhiraj Bommadevara, Pravin Jadhav and Tarundeep Rai clinched the gold medal in the men’s recurve team event, defeating the formidable South Korea with a 5-1 scoreline. This victory can enhance India’s qualification chances in the team event through the rankings.

Nethra Kumanan secured a Paris Olympics quota after earning a direct quota in sailing and she will represent India at her second Games. Meanwhile, Maheshwari Chauhan secured another shooting quota for India, raising the total to 21. Conversely, there was disappointment as none of the Indian fencers managed to qualify for the Paris Olympics 2024.

In non-Olympic events, the IPL has captured the attention of the Indian audience. Let’s explore the top events to watch out for in May.

Major events to watch in May in the Indian Sports Calendar

Archery

After a sensational performance at the Archery World Cup Stage I where India bagged a remarkable seven medals, including five golds, the archers will be seen in action at the World Cup Stage II in Yecheon, South Korea.

May 21-26 – Archery World Cup Stage II

Athletics

After two Diamond League meetings in China, the series will move to Doha, scheduled for May 10, 2024, at Khalifa International Stadium. Reigning Olympic and world champion Neeraj Chopra is set to make his 2024 outdoor season debut at this meeting, aiming for another record-breaking season.

Kishore Jena, who surpassed the Olympic qualification mark last year, will join Neeraj at the meeting, making his Diamond League debut. Following the event in Doha, the Meeting International Mohammed VI d’Athlétisme de Rabat, Prefontaine Classic and Bislett Games are other Diamond League meetings in May to look forward to.

Meanwhile, India’s top para-athletes are poised to compete at the World Para-Athletics Championships from May 17 to May 25 at Kobe Universiade Memorial Stadium in Japan, as they seek to qualify for the Paris Paralympics 2024.

May 10 – Doha Diamond League
May 17-25 – World Para-Athletics Championships
May 19 – Meeting International Mohammed VI d’Athlétisme de Rabat
May 25 – Prefontaine Classic
May 30 – Bislett Games

Badminton

Thomas & Uber Cup 2024, the prominent badminton team championships, began on April 27 and will continue to captivate Indian badminton enthusiasts, as India aim to defend their Thomas Cup title. The Indian men’s team scripted history in 2022 when they defeated Indonesia with a clinical 3-0 performance, winning their first-ever title in the competition’s history.

Following this tournament, top Indian badminton stars will be in action at different BWF World Tour tournaments such as the Thailand Open, Malaysia Masters and Singapore Open.

April 27-May 5 – Thomas & Uber Cup (Ongoing)
May 14- May 19 – Thailand Open
May 21-May 26 – Malaysia Masters
May 28-2 June – Singapore Badminton Open

Boxing

Indian boxers will look to book their spots for the Paris Olympics 2024 at the second World Qualification Tournament in Bangkok, Thailand, as the tournament provides a last opportunity to qualify for the prestigious Summer Games.

So far, India have secured four quota places in boxing, all of which have come from the female boxers. Two-time world champion Nikhat Zareen, Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist Lovlina Borgohain, Preeti Saipawar and Parveen Hooda are the four boxers who claimed the quota places at the Asian Games 2022.

April 25-8 May: Asian Youth Boxing Championships (ongoing)
May 23-3 June – World Qualification Tournament 2

Breaking

Break-dancers are set to aim for a bid for the Paris Olympics 2024 as they will participate in the two-part series. The first event is scheduled in Shanghai from May 16 to 19, 2024.

May 16-19-Break Dancing Olympic Qualifiers

Chess

Chess returns to action after historic FIDE Candidates in Toronto where India’s 17-year-old prodigy D Gukesh became the youngest player to win the candidates.

May 08-12- Grand Chess tour Rapid Blitz 2024 Poland

Cricket

The Indian Premier League (IPL) will continue to take center stage among the Indian cricket fans. The tournament which kicked off on March 22 is set to culminate in May with the final scheduled at M.A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on the 26th.

March 22-26 May – Indian Premier League 2024 (Ongoing)
April 28-9 May: India’s Tour of Bangladesh (Women) (Ongoing)

Football

Following a sensational season, SC Bengaluru achieved promotion to the I-League 2024/2025 season after champions of the I-League 2. The Indian football landscape in May will feature domestic tournaments including the final round of the Senior Women’s National Football Championship, the AIFF U-17 Youth League playoffs, and the Swami Vivekananda U-20 Men’s National Football Championship.

May 01-15 – Senior Women’s National Football Championship (Final Round)
May 04- Indian Super League (ISL) Final
May 08-12 – AIFF U17 Youth League Play-offs
April 12-22 May – Swami Vivekananda U20 Men’s National Football Championship (Ongoing)

Fencing

Following heartbreak at the Asia & Oceania Olympic Qualifying Tournament on April 27 and 28, the Indian fencers will be in action in the following tournaments in May.

May 1-3 – Hong Kong World Cup – Foil
May 3-5 – Cali Grand Prix – Epee
May 4-6 – Seoul Grand Prix – Sabre
May 17-18 – Monal Challenge – Epee
May 17-18 – Sharjah World Cup – Epee
May 17-19 – Shanghai Grand Prix – Foil
May 17-18 – Plovdiv World Cup – Sabre

Gymnastics

Indian gymnasts will have a final chance to book their spots for the Paris Olympics at the continental championships scheduled in May. At the Asian Championships (Artistic Gymnastics) 2024 scheduled from May 16 to 26 in Tashkent, one all-around individual quota will be up for grabs in each event.

May 16-26 – Artistic Gymnastics Asian Championships

Hockey

Both the Indian men’s and women’s national hockey teams will face tough away challenges against top sides at the Hockey Pro League 2023-24, which will take place at the Wilrijkse Plein Antwerp in Belgium.

Men’s Pro League 2023-24

May 22 – India vs Argentina
May 24 – Belgium vs India
May 25 – India vs Belgium
May 26 – Argentina vs India

Women’s Pro League 2023-24

May 22 – India vs Argentina
May 23 – India vs Belgium
May 25 – Belgium vs India
May 26 – Argentina vs India

Judo

Garima Chaudhary and Tulika Mann will be in action in Judo. Tulika Mann was sensational in Asian Judo championships causing many upsets on the way.

May 3-5- Judo Grand Slam Dushanabe
May 19-24- Judo World Championship

Rowing

Indian rowers will vie for Olympic qualification spots at the Final Qualification Regatta from May 19-21, 2024, in Lucerne, Switzerland.

May 19-21 – Final Qualification Regatta

Shooting

National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) will be sending only its shotgun (trap and skeet) shooters to the ISSF Rifle/Pistol/Shotgun World Cup which will take place from May 1 to 12 in Baku, Azerbaijan.

As the Paris Olympics are approaching, the tournament will act as a preparatory event for the Indian shooters, as they aim to book their spot in the Indian squad for the 2024 Games.

May 1-12 – ISSF World Cup Rifle / Pistol / Shotgun Baku
May 31-8 June- ISSF World Cup Rifle / Pistol Munich

Sport Climbing

In addition to break-dancing, sport-climbing will have a two-part series of qualifiers set from May 16 to 19, 2024.

May 16-19 – Olympic Qualifier Series

Table Tennis

Indian paddlers will be in action in multiple senior, junior and youth table tennis tournaments in May. Manika Batra and Harmeet Desai will be taking part in the WTT Feeder Cappadocia 2024. The pair of Manav Thakkar/ Manush Shah will be vying to win the WTT Contender Rio de Janeiro after finishing as runners-up at the WTT Feeder Otocec.

May 8 – May 11 – WTT Youth Contender Gangneung 2024
May 13 – May 17 – WTT Feeder Cappadocia 2024
May 13 – May 19 – WTT Youth Contender Platja D’Aro 2024
May 19 – May 22 – WTT Youth Contender San Francisco 2024
May 20 – May 26 – WTT Contender Rio de Janeiro 2024
May 22 – May 25 – WTT Youth Contender Wladyslawowo 2024
May 27 – 2 June – WTT Youth Contender Berlin 2024
May 27 – 2 June – WTT Contender Mendoza 2024
May 27 – 2 June – WTT Youth Contender Havirov 2024

Tennis

Indian tennis legend Rohan Bopanna along with his partner Matthew Ebden are set to compete at the Madrid Open and French Open in May. Singles star Sumit Nagal has entered the main draw of the French Open 2024, owing to his world ranking.

Meanwhile, Ramakumar Ramanathan with his partner Ray Ho from Taiwan and Yuki Bhambri alongside Portugal’s Francisco Cabral will face a tough challenge at the Guangzhou International Challenger and Sardegna Open respectively. Rutuja Bhosale will be in action at the ITF Japan 05A with partner Arianne Hartono of the Netherlands.

April 22-5 May – Madrid Open (Ongoing)
April 28-5 May – Guangzhou International Challenger
April 28-5 May – Sardegna Open
Apr 28–May 4 – ITF Georgia 02A
April 29-5 May – ITF Japan 05A
May 20-9 June – French Open

Wrestling

Indian wrestlers will participate at the World Qualification Tournament where Olympic quotas are available. So far, India has obtained four Olympic quotas in wrestling. All of these have come from female wrestlers, including Antim Panghal (53kg) from the World Wrestling Championships 2023, Vinesh Phogat (50kg), Anshu Malik (57kg), and Reetika (76kg) from the Asian Olympic Games Qualifier in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

May 9-12 – World Qualification Tournament

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