India reaped a rich haul in the World Youth Chess Championship at Maribor, Slovenia, on Sunday. The strong Indian contingent bagged eight medals (3 gold, 2 silver and 3 bronze medals). Girls hogged the limelight by winning three world titles, besides bagging two bronze medals. Boys claimed two silver and one bronze medals.
India’s M Mahalakshmi (nine points) won the girls U-14 title. Her compatriot GK Monnisha, who was leading throughout the tournament, finished third with eight points.
R Vaishali (nine points) and N Priyanka (9.5) clinched the U-12 and U-10 titles. Savant Riya (8.5) brought further joy to India by bagging bronze in the U-12 girls.
Madurai boy Aravindh Chithambaram (9) settled for silver in the U-14 Open after losing in the final round to Troff Kayden (USA). Kayden secured the same number of points but clinched the title on better tie-break.
Girish Koushik (8.5, U-16 Open) and Ram Aravind (8.5, U-10 Open) captured silver and bronze to make it a memorable event for India.
Final Placings (Top 3)
Open (U-18): 1. D Swiercz (Pol) 9 points, 2. H Gabuzyan (Arm) 8.5, 3. J Cori (Per) 8. U-16: 1. U Eliseev (Rus) 9, 2. Girish Koushik (Ind) 8.5, 3. M Chigaev (Rus) 8; U-14: 1. K Troff (USA) 9 1. Aravindh Chithambaram (Ind) 9, 3. R Wang (Can) 8.5; U-12: 1-3: S Sevian, C Wheeler (both USA), Yi Zhu (Chn) (all 9); U-10: 1. K Nguyen (Vie) 11, 2. S Sargsyan Shant (Arm) 9, 3. Ram Aravind (Ind) 8.5; U-8: 1 N Abdusattorov (Uzb) 10, 2. U Uzumcu (Tur) 9.5, 3. C Shen (USA) 8.5.
Girls: U-18: 1. A Goryachkina Aleksandra (Rus) 9.5, 2. L Schut (Ned) 8.5, 3. M Severina (Rus) 8; U-16: 1-2: A Styazhkina (Rus), P Rodionova (Rus 9, 3. Y Xiao (Chn) 8.5; U-14: 1-2: M Mahalakshmi (Ind) N Khomeriki (Geo) 9, 3. GK Monnisha (Ind) 8. U12: 1. R Vaishali (Ind) 9, 2. Z Abdumalik (Kaz) 8.5, 3. R Savant (Ind) 8.5; U-10: 1. N Priyanka (Ind) 9.5, 2. O Badelka (Blr) 9, 3. A Maltsevskaya (Rus) 8.5; U-8: 1. M Asadi (IRI) 10.5, 2. T Tereshechkina (Rus) 9, 3. J Juhasz (Hun) 8.5.