Jai Narayan College and Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Primary School achieved victory in the 2024 Vodafone Fiji National School Teams Chess Championship, which took place at The University of the South Pacific in Suva.
Jai Narayan College secured the title for secondary schools, finishing with 14 points, a strong performance led by Women’s Candidate Master Tanvi Prasad and her teammates Zayne Keshwan, Rajatha Weerasekara, and Ayaand Chand. Meanwhile, Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Primary School dominated the primary schools category with 10 points, thanks to the efforts of Dinujaya Herath, Yajas Sharma, Abhiru Herath, and Useli Herath.
The general secretary of the Fiji Chess Federation, Goru Arvind, expressed appreciation to Vodafone Fiji for revitalizing the championship after a five-year break caused by pandemic-related issues with sponsorships.
The tournament showcased 12 school teams from various parts of Fiji, including MGM, Suva Grammar School, Jai Narayan College, DAV College, Marist Brothers High School, Sigatoka Andhra Sangam College, Yat Sen Primary School, Deenbandhoo Memorial School, and Dudley Intermediate School. In the secondary division, Marist Brothers High School placed second with 11 points, followed by MGM High School with 10 points and Sigatoka Andhra Sangam with eight points. In the primary division, Deenbandhoo Memorial School took second with five points, and Dudley Intermediate School claimed third place with three points.
Structured similarly to a World Chess Olympiad with shorter time controls, the event proved to be a hit among schoolchildren. Meanwhile, Fiji’s chess teams have set off for the 45th World Chess Olympiad in Budapest, Hungary. The women’s team is captained by National Arbiter William Robert Raymond Bennion, while Candidate Master Goru Arvind leads the Open Team. Additionally, Head of Delegation CM Taione Sikivou will participate in the 2024 FIDE Congress Meeting.