Odisha’s Sovna shines at FIDE World Amateur Chess Championships in Greece; clinches bronze

Bringing laurels for the State as well as for the country, Odisha’s Sovna Sonali Jena has bagged a bronze medal at the recently concluded International Chess Federation (FIDE) World Amateur Chess Championships 2024 held at Rhodes in Greece.

Sovna, a resident of Cuttack, secured six points in nine rounds and stood third in the Women Under (WC) 1700 category. In the nine rounds, Sovna registered a win in five, lost two and managed to draw two rounds taking her point tally to six.

Osadchuk Anastasiia from Ukraine with eight points in nine rounds secured the top spot and clinched gold. Similarly, Anu Bayal Uchral from Mangolia secured second spot with seven points in the WC 1700 category.

Anastasiia Osadchuk, who bagged gold, suffered only one loss and she was defeated by Sovna in the seventh-round tournament.

Notably, the FIDE World Amateur Chess Championships was held from October 26 to November 4 at Rhodes in Greece and as many as 245 players from 54 countries participated in the tournament competing across four rating categories: Open U2300, Open U2000, Open U1700 and W1700.

Other than Sovna, Indian player CM A Kumaresh bagged the silver medal in the Open U2300 category. 

The World Amateur Championship is an official event of the FIDE and is co-organised by the Rhodes Chess Club "Ippotis," the South Aegean Region, the Municipality of Rhodes, and the Hellenic Chess Federation (ESO).