Saint Lucia grabs two titles at 45th Chess Olympiad

Chelsea Wahid became the first ever contestant to win the Woman Candidate Master (WCM) Title as she scored an impressive 6/11.

23rd of September 2024

Saint Lucia: Chelsea Wahid and Tris Ann Richards won separate titles at the 45th Chess Olympiad in Budapest Hungary. These achievements by the players marks a significant achievement for the island nation, providing them an international recognition.

Chelsea Wahid became the first ever contestant to win the Woman Candidate Master (WCM) Title as she scored an impressive 6/11. She showcased an exceptional performance in all the rounds leading her to grab this title.

Tris Ann Richards on the other hand secured the title of Woman Fide Master (WFM) with her outstanding performance as she scored 7.5/9, losing just one game.

Apart from that, the women's team including Mila Liu, Shekinah Leonce and Vernesa James also showcased a great performance through their instant responses and dedication at the global stage. Their determination is a testament to future aspiring female chess enthusiasts to hone their skills with full passion in their sport.

Saint Lucia also won the title of Best Sports team Uniform at the Chess Olympiad in the Open Section. The ultimate trophy however was grabbed by team India due to their brilliance and creativity. Team India also won the Gaprindashvili Cup, a special trophy awarded for best combined result in Open and Women's sections.

The closing ceremony of the event was held today at the BOK Sports and Conference Centre, which was one of the main venues for the event. The teams and the players were awarded separate medals and awards in this ceremony marking their success.

Total 188 teams participated this year in the open event, however 169 teams were for the women's section. The closing ceremony was a grand celebration marking an end to the Olympics of Chess. The Celebration included dance and singing performances.

Notably, the Chess Olympiad which is held every two years is running successfully worldwide since a decade. It was first held in 1924 in Paris, France, however it was an individual event and the team tournament initiated in its second season in 1926.