Susal, Oshini pocket gold medals
IM Susal de Silva and Oshni Devindya Gunawardhana emerged gold medalists in the Under-18 Open and Under-12 Girls categories respectively at the Western Asian Youth Blitz Chess Championship 2023. Additionally, Senuth Thewsas Perera showcased outstanding skill, securing the silver medal in the Under-8 Open category.
In the fiercely competitive Under-18 Open category, Susal de Silva from Nalanda College, demonstrated exceptional talent, claiming the title with an impressive score of 6 out of 7 points. The race for the runner-up positions were intense, with three players vying for glory. FM Eldiar Orozbaev of Kyrgyzstan and Timur Kenbeilov of Kazakhstan showcased their brilliance, securing the first and second runner-up positions respectively, with superior tiebreaks.
In the Under-12 Girls category, young prodigy Oshni Devindya Gunawardhana from Wycherley International School delivered an awe-inspiring performance, achieving a perfect score of 7 out of 7 points, claiming the crown. The battle for the remaining positions were fiercely fought, with two players tied at 5 out of 7 points. Gupta Prishita of India secured the first runner-up position with a higher tiebreak, while Polina A. Smirnova, competing under the FIDE flag, claimed the second runner-up position.
In the Under-8 Open category, Senuth Thewsas Perera from Gateway College, Ratmalana, displayed remarkable skill, securing the first runner-up position with a score of 6 out of 7 points. The championship title was closely contested, with two players tied at 6 points each. Through tiebreak calculations, Senuth graciously accepted the silver medal, while Aikozha Bashar of Kazakhstan claimed the title. Rahim Beknazarov of Kyrgyzstan emerged as the second runner-up.