7th Western Asian Rapid Youth Chess Championship 2024
The 7th Western Asian Rapid Youth Chess Championship 2024 was held on July 8, 2024, at Citrus Waskaduwa in Kalutara, Sri Lanka. Organized by the Chess Federation of Sri Lanka under the auspices of the Asian Chess Federation and FIDE, the event brought together chess players from Western Asian Chess Federations (Zones 3.1, 3.2, 3.4, 3.7, and 3.8) affiliated with the Asian Chess Federation.
Sri Lanka made an impressive mark in the championship, securing two gold medals, three silver medals, and three bronze medals. This achievement highlights the prowess and potential of Sri Lankan youth in the realm of chess.
Medal Winners from Sri Lanka:
Gold Medals:
– H M Chamuditha Sasen Bandara Herath in the Under 10 Open category.
– T H D Thisarindu Induwara in the Under 14 Open category.
Silver Medals:
– Dulein Thenula Ambagahawaththa in the Under 08 Open category.
– Warnakulasuriya Eleesha Fernando in the Under 08 Girls category.
– Sethumlee Devhara Palliyage in the Under 12 Girls category.
Bronze Medals:
– L H M T I Bandara in the Under 08 Girls category.
– Risali Lohasna Jayaweera in the Under 10 Girls category.
– A P Chenitha Sihas Dinsara Karunasena in the Under 10 Open category.
The championship featured competitions across various age groups: Under 08, 10, 12, 14, 16, and 18 categories, with separate events for open and girls categories. Each category’s championship was conducted over seven rounds using the Swiss format, with a time control of 15 minutes plus a 10-second increment per move. The event attracted 330 players from 10 federations, showcasing the depth of talent in Western Asia.
Category Highlights:
Under 08 Open:
– Champion: ACM Palaniappan K Kavish (India) – 6/7 points
– 1st Runner-up: Dulein Thenula Ambagahawaththa (Sri Lanka) – 5.5/7 points
– 2nd Runner-up: Nurislom Abdulakhatov (Uzbekistan) – 5/7 points (tie-break)
Under 08 Girls:
– Champion: Azaliya Balakanova (Kazakhstan) – 6/7 points
– 1st Runner-up: Warnakulasuriya Eleesha Fernando (Sri Lanka) – 5.5/7 points
– 2nd Runner-up: L H M T I Bandara (Sri Lanka) – 5/7 points
Under 10 Open:
– Champion: H M Chamuditha Sasen Bandara Herath (Sri Lanka) – 5.5/7 points
– 1st Runner-up: Rakhim Makhsatuly (Kazakhstan)
– 2nd Runner-up: A P Chenitha Sihas Dinsara Karunasena (Sri Lanka)
Under 10 Girls:
– Champion: Zhansaya Sholpanbek (Kazakhstan) – 6/7 points
– 1st Runner-up: Shree R Pooja (India)
– 2nd Runner-up: Risali Lohasna Jayaweera (Sri Lanka)
Under 12 Open:
– Champion: Aihan Rahbar (Iran) – 6/7 points
– 1st Runner-up: Garg Ayaan (India)
– 2nd Runner-up: Suleyman Akhmet (Kazakhstan)
Under 12 Girls:
– Champion: Shah Hanya (India) – 6/7 points
– 1st Runner-up: Sethumlee Devhara Palliyage (Sri Lanka) – 5.5/7 points
– 2nd Runner-up: Khusbu Warsia (Bangladesh) – 5/7 points
Under 14 Open:
– Champion: T H D Thisarindu Induwara (Sri Lanka) – 5.5/7 points
– 1st Runner-up: Nurmukhammed Kabinazar (Kazakhstan)
– 2nd Runner-up: Adizhan Yessengali (Kazakhstan)
Under 14 Girls:
– Champion: AFM Gupta Aadya (India) – 5.5/7 points
– 1st Runner-up: AFM Sree S Shanmathi (India)
– 2nd Runner-up: Mariya Kholyavko (Kazakhstan)
Under 16 Open:
– Champion: FM Sultanbeibarys Dumanuly (Kazakhstan) – 6.5/7 points
– 1st Runner-up: FM Imran Md (India)
– 2nd Runner-up: Goyal Daksh (India)
Under 16 Girls:
– Champion: Zhaniya Nauanova (Kazakhstan) – 5.5/7 points
– 1st Runner-up: AFM Jain Yashvi (India)
– 2nd Runner-up: WFM Jain Sachi (India)
Under 18 Open:
– Champion: Arshia Mohammadian Sechani (Iran) – 5.5/7 points
– 1st Runner-up: Sankar Subramanian Jai (India)
– 2nd Runner-up: FM Erzhan Zhakshylykov (Kyrgyzstan)
Under 18 Girls:
– Champion: WFM Galina Mikheeva (FIDE) – 5.5/7 points
– 1st Runner-up: WFM Guldona Karimova (Uzbekistan)
– 2nd Runner-up: Aidana Madi (Kazakhstan)
The 7th Western Asian Rapid Youth Chess Championship 2024 showcased the incredible talent and determination of young chess players from across Western Asia. Sri Lanka’s outstanding performance in securing eight medals highlighted their growing prominence in the international chess arena. Congratulations to all the winners and participants for their remarkable achievements. The standard event of the 7th Western Asian Youth Chess Championship 2024 is set to commence on July 9, 2024, promising more exciting chess action ahead.
