Sri Lanka Wins Two Golds, India the best at 6th Asian Schools Chess
Sri Lanka won the top two age groups, Under 15 Open and Girls of the Asian Schools Championships concluded yesterday at the Global Towers Hotel, Colombo. PKUM Jayasundara (Sri Lanka)won the Under 15 years open Championship with a total of points out of 9 games while Sanali Nathasha won the Championship in the under 15 Girls Event with a total of 5 1/2 points out of 7 games. RDAC Dissananayke C Lamahewa also from Sri Lanka won the Silver and Bronze medals with 6 ½ points respectively. Dinushki Premanath also from Sri Lanka and Karimi Yeghaneh (Iran) won the Silver and Bronze respectively in the under 15 years Girls event with 4 ½ points.
The 6th Asian Schools chess Championships was held at Nagarodaya, Colombo from 6th to 13th December 2010 organised by the Chess Federation of Sri Lanka under the auspices of FIDE and the Asian Chess Federation. Mr. Ignatius Leong, The FIDE General Secretary was the Chief Guest at the Closing Ceremony with Dr. Lohitha Samarasekera, and Mr. Upali Gunasekera The President of Sri Lanka Schools Chess Association. over 120 players from 9 countries, Australia, China, India, Iran, Kazkhastan, Malaysia, Singapore, UAE participated in this prestegious ChesChampionships.
Five Indian players, LN Ram Aravind (9 points out of 9), Salonika Saina (9 points out of 9), Aryan Chopra (8 points out of 9), V Karthik(8 points out of 9) and Samaraki Mohanti (8 points out of 9)made India proud by winning the respective Gold Medals in the age Groups of Under 7 open and Girls, Under 9 Open, Under 11 Open and Under 13 Girls. Priyanka K (Silver in under 9G with 8 points, ), Pranav Vijay (Silver in under 11 with 8 points, ), CH Meghna (Silver in under 11G with 8 points, ), Rajaryan Kuvelkar (Bronze in under 9 with 6.5points, ), A Harshini (Bronze in under 9 with 6.5points, ), S Yogit (Bronze in under 13 with 7 points, ), CK Varsha (Bronze in under 13G with 7.5points, ), made the total number of medals of India in out of reach.
Iran was also honoured by Mobina Alinasabalamdari and Ariyan Kosandi by Winning the Under 13 Open and Girls Gold Medals respectively scoring 7.5 points each out of 9 games. One of the two players from Malaysia Teh De Zen of Malaysia grabbed the Under 9 Girls Gold Medal making Malaysia also proud. China won Two medals a Silver and a bronze through Zhang Jiabao (13 Open with 7 points ) and Zhen Ziqiu (11G with 6.5 points) while Young Kevin Willathgamuwa from Australia also won the Silver medal of under 7 Open event with 8 points out of 9.

Asani Weerasinghe (Silver in Under 7 Girls), Tiuni Yashora (Silver in Under 13 Girls), GMH Thilakaratne (Bronze in Under 7 Open), Sewwandi Karunaratne (Bronze in Under 7Girls) Increased the Number of Medals for Sri Lanka performing well.

Welcoming the honoured Guests for the function, Mr. Luxman Wijesuriya, Hony. Secretary of CFSL, General Secretary of Commonwealth Chess Association and President of Zone 3.2 FIDE said that the policy of him has become organizing more and more official events in Sri Lankan Soil by giving more chances to Sri Lankan Players. He added that there are three Asian events to be held in Sri Lanka next year, the Zone 3.2, Asian Junior Boys and Girls Championships and the Asian Seniors (Men and Women ) Chess Championships. He said that the Asian Federation was so kind to give the Asian Youth Chess Championships 2012 to Sri Lanka and he is willing to do it in the highest possible way. On behalf of the Chess Federation he thanked His Highness Sheikh Sultan, the President of Asian Chess Federation and the Committee for all the support given to Sri Lanka through out the years. He also thanked Mr. Ignatius Leong for attending the Ceremony with all of his busy schedule and the support given through the FIDE. The Asian Vice President, Mr. Abundo,s presence for the opening Ceremony was also reminded.

The team Championships medals are as given below.
Under 7 Girls
Gold – Sri Lanka, Asani Weerasinghe and Sewwandi Karunaratne
Silver – Sri Lanka A, Selani Weerawardena and Niklesha Tharushi
Under 7 Open
Gold – Sri Lanka, GMH Thilakaratne, Dilshan Liyanage
Silver – Sri Lanka A, KC Harikishan, Gimantha Kiriella
Bronz – UAE, Mohamed Hassan, Rashed Ahmed
Under 9 Girls
Gold – India, K Priyanka, A Harshini
Silver – Sri Lanka, Sethmi Herath, Pabasara Thuduwage
Bronz – Sri Lanka A, Roshell Nathasha Askey, GKSG Kothalawala
Under 9 Open
Gold – India, Aryan Chopra, Rajryan Kuvelkar
Silver – Iran, Nima Fenderaeski, Hossein Ganjali
Bronz – TR Ariyasinghe, Movindu Anusara
Under 11 Open
Gold – India, V Karthik, Pranav Vijay
Silver – Iran, Azimi Khashayar and Rahimi Rezvan
Bronz – Sri Lanka, DN Naotunna and Supun Kuruppu
Under 11 Girls
Gold – India, CH Meghna, S Priyanka
Silver – Sri Lanka, Sajini Balasooriya, VDP Liyanage
Bronz – Iran, Mobina Alinasabalamdari, Tara Asgharpourmasoleh
Under 13 Open
Gold – India, S Yogit and Kaushik Bhave
Silver – Sri Lanka, Kashyapa kulasekera and Senal Wickramasinghe
Bronz – Sri Lanka A, HUDB Haputhanthri and WMGLA Weerasinghe
Under 13 Girls
Gold – India, Samaraki Mohanty and CK Varsha
Silver – Sri Lanka, Tiumi Yashora and SAK Chandrasiri
Bronz – Sri Lanka A, RM Nisakya Bandara and Piyumi Gunawardena
Under 15 Open
Gold – Sri Lanka, PKUM Jayasundara and RADC Dissanayake
Silver – Sri Lanka A, C Lamahewa, Dinul Doluweera
Bronz – UAE, Anwar Walid and Ahmed Mahmoud
Under 15 Girls
Gold – Sri Lanka, WA Nathasha Sanali and WFM Dinushki Premanath
Silver – India, S Anjana Krishna, Isha Bhave
Bronz –Sri Lanka A, RIG De Silva, Kavindi Senarath

By.Luxman Wijesuriya, Hony. Secretary - CFSL
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