National Chess champions picked after play-offs at Mang'u High School
Reading Time: 2min | Wed. 15.04.26. | 12:49
Chess Kenya will sponsor all the category winners to take part in next month’s Africa Youth Chess Championships to be held in Uganda
The national chess champions were picked on Monday, 13 April, at the conclusion of a three-day play-off tournament staged at Mang’u High School.
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In the under-8 girls’ category, Zawadi Zoe Ebba of St. Bakhita School walked away with the title, finishing strong on 9/11 points, sealing it with a final-round win against Neriah Olive of Kitale School.
Karugo Timothy Maina of Pine Crest School emerged as the category winner in the boys under-8 with a solid nine points, proving once again why he was among the standout performers from the nationals.
Close behind was the consistent Matthias Kariuki Cherere of Moi Nyeri Complex School on 8.5 points.
Naomi Wamwenje came, saw, and conquered this category—finishing with an impressive 9.5 points to claim the girls under-10 title. Fresh off her dominant national performance, Naomi carried that same confidence into the playoffs.
Her only real resistance came from Mali Mugo of Superiors Chess Club, who finished second with nine points, after suffering only one loss coming against Wamwenje.
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The boys under-10 category was won by Marc-Antoine Ishimwe (1493) of Premier Academy with 9 points. Despite one slip in the penultimate round against unrated Myles Kiyo Muratha of Hospital Hill Primary School, Marc-Antoine held his nerve when it mattered most.
Right behind him was Rotich Darrien Kigen (1493) of Moi Tambach Primary School with 8 points, quietly employing one of the smartest strategies.
African silver medalist Winnie Kaburo (1792) of Mavens Chess Club bounced back from a 5th-place finish at nationals to dominate the playoffs unbeaten with 10.5 points and reclaim her place at the top of the girls under-12 category.
Riley Matingi (1518) of PMadol Chess Club followed with a strong 9.5 points, building on her impressive fifth-place finish at nationals.
Muli Faraja Mumo produced the biggest upset in the tournament, beating continental gold medalist Nathaniel Manyeki to emerge the new boys under-12 champion. Both players finished with ten points and had to be separated by a tie-breaker.
Chess Kenya will sponsor all the category winners to take part in next month’s Africa Youth Chess Championships to be held in Uganda.