The National champion Susal de Silva of Nalanda college won the gold medal in the highest age group, (under-18 Open event) at the Western Asian Youth Chess Championships which concluded last Thursday (23) in the Maldives.
Susal the 16-year-old promising player gathered a total of 6½ points from nine games to clinch the gold. He recorded victories over Mohamed Rayyan (Maldives), Zhandir Bizigitov (Kazakhstan), Bin Yashid Mujahid (Maldives), Reja Neer Manon (Bangladesh) and drew with Mobin Faizan (Pakistan), Aziz Degenbaev (Kazakhstan), S Harshad (India), Kummoyum Begmiratov (Uzbekistan) and Anjum Noshin (Bangladesh) to remain unbeaten. In fact Susal is one of the leading chess players in Sri Lanka who recently won several chess titles in both International and domestic arena.
Susal won the championship on the better tie break points after a five way tie and hence received an International Master (IM) which was a great achievement, said President of Chess Federation of Sri Lanka (CFSL) Luxman Wijesuriya.
Meanwhile, at this same tournament Sri Lankan young players Dinuwara Seneviratne (U-16 Open) of Maliyadeva College, Vinuda Gunatilake (U-14 Open) of Royal College, B. Janukshan (U-12 Open) of Jaffna Hindu College won bronze medals in their respective age groups.
The Western Asian Youth Chess Championships 2022, conducted by the Asian Chess Federation was organized by the Maldivian Chess Federation on the Island of Ukluhas, Maldives.
A total of nine countries, Bangladesh, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Maldives, Nepal. Pakistan, Uzbekistan and Sri Lanka participated in the event. Sri Lanka had sent 22 youth players for this event where they obtained good exposure.
Sri Lanka chess Team that participated at the Western Asian Youth Championship are:
Susal de Silva (Nalanda), Minethma Wickramasinghe (Sujatha Vidyalaya), Sayumi Gamage and Dehansa Sandanayake of (Musaeus College), Thumula Kiriella and Dinuwara Seneviratne of (Maliyadeva College), Jenith Weeratunge (Trinity), Dhesandhi Gamage (Sirimavo Bandaranaike), WMMN Wijesinghe (Girls HS, Kandy) Javindi Akuratiya (Ferguson HS, Ratnapura), Gaveshi Wickramaratne (St. Mary’s Convent, Matara), Shenal Gunatillake (Royal), Disra Tennakoon (Dharmaraja), Oneli Vithanawasam (Lyceum International, Wattala), Esandi Newansa (Dharmasoka), B. Janukshan (Hindu College, Jaffna,), Dulima Ratnayake (Vihara Maha Devi BMV, Kiribathgoda), Hansadie Akuratiya (Ferguson HS, Ratnapura), Sasmi Sithumsa (Lyceum International, Ratnapura) Sethika Samaraweera (Royal International School, Kurunegala), Kemindu Palliyaguru (Rahula, Matara), Hasadi Sethumsa (Sujatha Vidyalaya, Matara)