Sethika Samaraweera and Oneli Wilvaarachchi emerged the Under-8 and under-16 Open champions at the CFSL Golden Jubilee International Youth Chess Championships .
Promising Sethika scored 8.50 points out of a possible nine games convincingly to win the title .She played with more confidence to beat Nenuka Basnayake, Sanuka Gimshan, Dewli Munasinghe, Dehas Fernando, Lohasna Jayaweera, Yesandu Koswattage, Rithmitha Kirindagoda and Dinhas Perera and drew with Mayon Nimrad to win the title with an unbeaten record.
Kirindagoda also had a memorable performance with a score of 8 points out of nine games just losing to the winner, Sethika. He was able to beat all other of his eight opponents, Two other players Senehas Mahalpage and Chamuditha Bandara Herath scored 7.50 points each and tied for the third place. However Senehas won the bronze medal on a better tie breaker and Chamuditha had to settle for fourth place.
Meanwhile in the under-16 event Oneli Wilvalaarachchi of Gothami Balika Vidyalaya beat Nihari Goonasekara, Dewlini Weeratunga, Gaweshi Wickramaratne, Esha Pallie, Minethma Wickramasinghe and Dehansa Sandanayake and lost to Sanudula Dahamdi in the final round to score six points and win the gold medal.
Esha Pallie of Visakha Vidyalaya and Sanudula Dahamdi of Musaeus College scored 5.50 points each out of seven games and Esha claimed the silver medal on a better tie breaker.
Dahamdi had to be satisfied with the bronze medal.
The CFSL Golden Jubilee International Online Chess Championship was successfully conducted by the Chess Federation of Sri Lanka to commemorate the completion of 50 years of the Chess Federation of Sri Lanka after its establishment in 1972.
International players from India, Malaysia and Australia participated in the events.