Team Nigeria begins Chess Olympiad campaign in Samarkand

By Maxwell Kumoye 

 

 

Team Nigeria begins its quest for honours at the 46th FIDE World Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, today, with both the men’s and women’s teams facing their opening-round opponents.

In the men’s competition, Nigeria will take on New Caledonia, with the country’s hopes resting on the experienced Bomo Kigigha, Bartholomew Okhipo, Abdulrahman Abdulraheem and Odion Aikhoje, alongside 15-year-old Ekunke Goodness.

The women’s team, meanwhile, will open its campaign against Mali, with Deborah Quickpen, Michelle Nwankwo, Sandra Omoruyi, Bridget Michael and Joy Iyefu representing Nigeria.

The prestigious biennial competition officially got underway with its opening ceremony on Tuesday, setting the stage for several days of intense competition involving some of the world’s leading chess nations.

For Nigeria, attention will also be on the younger members of the delegation, with 15-year-old Ekunke Goodness featuring in the men’s squad and Michelle Nwankwo bringing youthful energy to the women’s team.

Speaking ahead of the competition, Nwankwo said representing Nigeria at the Olympiad was an exciting experience but stressed the importance of maintaining concentration once play begins.

“I’ve been playing chess for about five or six years,” she said.

“I feel really excited. It’s amazing to be able to represent your country at the Olympiad. But you also have to stay strong and focused on the games so that you can perform well.

“You have to balance the excitement with your focus, because you don’t want to get too carried away and end up making mistakes in your games. So, I’m excited, but I also want to remain focused.”

With the opening round now upon them, Nwankwo said the Nigerian contingent is determined to give a strong account of itself in Samarkand.

“Chess lovers across the country and everyone cheering for Team Nigeria should expect us to do well. We’ll try our best, and hopefully, we’ll come back with something good,” she added.

The Nigerian teams will now look to turn their preparations into results as the battle for supremacy at the World Chess Olympiad gets underway.