Sun Sep 22 14:51:16 UTC 2024: ## India Makes History: Men’s and Women’s Chess Teams Clinch First Ever Gold at Olympiad
**Chennai, India:** India has etched its name in chess history, achieving a historic double gold at the 45th Chess Olympiad. Both the men’s and women’s teams secured their maiden gold medals, defeating their respective opponents in the final round.
The men’s team triumphed over Slovenia with a commanding 3-0 victory, thanks to impressive wins by D Gukesh, Arjun Erigaisi, and R Praggnanandhaa. Gukesh, who is a World Championship challenger, showcased his strategic brilliance against Vladimir Fedoseev, while Erigaisi secured a victory over Jan Subeli with a surprise Centre Counter defense. Praggnanandhaa also contributed significantly with a decisive win over Anton Demchenko.
The Indian men’s team finished the tournament with a remarkable 21 points out of a possible 22, losing only a single draw to Uzbekistan. This victory marks a significant milestone for the team, who previously earned two bronze medals in 2014 and 2022.
Adding to the historic achievement, the women’s team secured their first gold medal after a dominant 3.5-0.5 victory against Azerbaijan. D Harika led the charge with a technical win on the top board, while Divya Deshmukh, who also secured an individual gold medal, dominated her opponent on the third board. R Vaishali secured a draw, and Vantika Agrawal sealed the victory with a brilliant triumph.
The Indian women’s team had previously won bronze at the 2022 Chess Olympiad in Chennai. This double gold victory is a testament to the strength and talent of Indian chess players, marking a new era of dominance for the country on the world stage.
First Piper 