Six Kenyans headed for Africa School Chess Championships
Reading Time: 2min | Sat. 07.12.24. | 21:28
Nakuru-based Annabel Mideva will be the country’s representative in the girls under-11 category
Kenya will send a team of six players to this year’s Africa Schools Individual Chess Championships set to be held from Saturday 14 to Saturday 21 December in Accra, Ghana.
Nakuru-based Annabel Mideva will be the country’s representative in the girls under-11 category.
This will be Mideva’s second international tournament after she took part in the Africa Youth Chess Championships held in Zambia two years ago.
Mideva has been on an upward trajectory since then as she finished runners-up in the Kenya National Schools Individual Chess Championships held in Nakuru last year.
She tied on maximum points with champion Winny Kaburu after both players won all their games.
In the absence of Kaburu who is not travelling to Ghana, this is Mideva’s chance to win a continental title.
Winnie, a former Africa Youth Chess champion has instead opted to focus on the Kenya National Chess Championships which starts on Wednesday 11 December at Makini School.
Another medal prospect for Kenya is Gene Pence who will carry the country’s flag in the boys under-9 category.
His coach Tom Amwai is confident that Pence can win his category as he has performed consistently well in the last year.
“He has been in top form over the last one year and this is his chance to win a continental title and I believe that he will do it,” said Amwai.
Pence took part in the Africa Youth Chess Championships held in South Africa in June and this is his second international tournament since taking up the sport.
It will be another international experience for Riara Primary Schools’ Nigel Ngigi as he will take part in the under-11 category.
He was at the Africa Youth Chess Championships in South Africa this year and is looking to clinch his first continental title.
Ava Nyaboke, Joseph Gacura and Prudence Jeptoo are the other Kenyan representatives in the one-week event. It is the first international tournament for the three players.
More than 10 African countries are expected to take part in the event which is being held for the first time since 2021 when Kenya hosted it.
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