Oshini triumphs at FIDE World Cadets Chess Championship 2023
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Oshini Devindya
In an outstanding display of skill, young talent Oshini Devindya Gunawardhana achieved the coveted Under-12 title at the FIDE World Cadets Chess Championship 2023 held in Egypt. Held in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, the FIDE World Cadets Chess Championships consisted of distinct competitions for the Under-8, Under-10, and Under-12 Open and Girls categories. The championship adopted a demanding format, utilising a 11-round Swiss System with a time control of 90 minutes, further enhanced by a 30-second increment from the first move.
Oshini, representing Sri Lanka, entered the competition as the seventh seed in the Under-12 Girls category, facing off against participants from 42 countries. Unfazed by the formidable competition, she demonstrated her prowess from the outset, taking the lead from the ninth round and maintaining it to secure victory. Oshini concluded the event with an impressive score of 9.5 out of 11 points, emerging unbeaten throughout the competition, with only two draws registered in the second and 11th rounds.
A student of Wycherley International School, Oshini Devindya Gunawardhana’s remarkable achievement marks a significant milestone in Sri Lankan chess history, as she becomes the first player from the nation to secure a medal in the FIDE World Cadets Chess Championship.
It’s essential to acknowledge the outstanding performances of the first and second runners-up: WCM Diana Preobrazhenskaya, who competed under the FIDE flag, and Varvara Popenkova of Kazakhstan, respectively. Oshini’s victory is a testament to her remarkable skills, dedication, and her promising future in the world of chess.