Golden day for Goa

Reigning National Junior Girls Champion
and Woman FIDE Master Bhakti Kulkarni
created history by becoming the first Goan
to win Gold medals at four levels when she
won the Gold medal in the World Schools
Girls Under 17 Chess Championships in
Singapore. This was one of many medals
for the Goans who stole the limelight by
going to the podium not less than seven times.

Monginis brand ambassador Bhakti, who is
presently studying in Chowgule College, had
won the Asian Under 14 Girls in Teheran
in 2006, the Commonwealth Under 18 Girls
in Mumbai in 2006, the National Junior (under 20)
Girls in 2007 and now the World Schools Girls
Under 17 title. Her coach Dronacharya awardee
Raghunandan Gokhale hailed the 16 year old's unique
feat and proudly declared that she will 'surely become
Goa's first Woman Grandmaster in the days
to come'. Bhakti drew her last round with FIDE
Master Mohamed Ibrahim Khouri of the U.A.E.
to finish with 5.5 points ahead of Woman FIDE
Master Cheng Li Toh of Singapore and Angelique
Hattingh of South Africa.

Double World Under 8 Girls Champion Ivana Furtado
added yet another Gold medal to her burgeoning
collection when she beat Clarice Yeoh of Singapore
to finish with 8 points. In the process the Dempo
Goodwill Ambassador edged out archrival two time
National Champion C.H. Meghna of Kerala
who finished second with 7.5 points. Dita Karenza of
Indonesia finished third in the Girls Under 9 section.

Asian Under 11 Gold Medallist Cyrus Perreira won his
second International medal when he secured third place
with a draw against Dastan Batuhan of Turkey. He also
bagged the Team Silver medal for India with 19.5 points
behind Turkey (20 points) and ahead of Singapore (17.5
points) in the Boys Under 11 Section.


Anirudh Bhat also added to the Goan medal kitty
with a Bronze medal when he beat Ryan Ow of
Singapore to finish with 6.5 points in the Boys
Under 9 Section. He thus becomes the second
Goan boy (after Cyrus Perreira) to win a medal at
the International level. He also helped the Indian
squad to win the Team Gold medal with 20.5 points
edging out Singapore (18.5 points) and Indonesia
(17.5 points).

Finally, Pranav Zantye won the Team Silver medal
in the Under 13 boys section when the Indian team
amassed 16 points. Singapore, the hosts, won Gold
here with 17 points and Turkey with 15 points bagged
the Bronze medal in the category.

Goa State Chess Association President Sameer
A. Salgaocar congratulated the Goan players for
their stellar performance. 'Considering there were
participants from Russia, Ukraine, China, Armenia
and Israel which are the traditional powerhouses of
chess, this is indeed a commendable performance
by the Goan contingent', he added.