Chess Olympiad 2024: Harika Dronavalli Celebrates Gold Medal Victory After 20 Years

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Budapest, Sep 23: Veteran India chess player Harika Dronavalli finally achieved her dream of winning the Chess Olympiad title, despite being unsatisfied with her performance in Budapest.

On Sunday (September 22), India made history as both the men's and women's teams claimed their first-ever gold medals by defeating Slovenia and Azerbaijan in the final round.

For the women's team, Harika, aged 33, showcased her technical prowess on the top board. Meanwhile, 18-year-old Divya Deshmukh excelled against Govhar Beydullayeva, securing her individual gold medal on the third board.

Harika expressed her emotions, stating, "Definitely for me it is much more emotional than these people teammates, I have been playing for 20 years to see the gold medal and finally I am glad we saw it."

Women's Team Triumphs

Divya Deshmukh recently won the World Junior Girls Chess Championship in Gandhinagar. She played a crucial role in leading the Indian women's team to their historic gold medal victory.

Reflecting on their journey, Divya said, "It started off quite well, but in the middle, we had a few setbacks and I am really proud of the way my team and I handled it. We fought back with resilience and we are finally here with the gold medal."

Divya's performance was outstanding as she scored 9.5 points out of 11 games on the third board. Her efforts earned her an individual gold medal as the best performer on her board. When asked about maintaining high energy throughout the games, Divya explained, "It was a do-or-die kind of situation, for your country you have to give it all."

Key Players Shine

Tania Sachdev contributed significantly by helping the team start strong on board five. Although she played fewer games, she scored 3.5 points from five matches. Tania shared her joy, saying, "This is the moment, I think we were meant for this." She recalled missing out on gold last time when India narrowly secured bronze.

If Divya was pivotal for India, Vantika Agrawal also stood out with her performance. Scoring 7.5 out of nine games on the fourth board, Vantika won an individual gold medal too. Her consistent play alongside Divya propelled the team forward in crucial rounds.

Team Effort and Leadership

R Vaishali contributed significantly in earlier rounds by scoring five points from six games. Although she faced challenges in her last four games, her initial performance laid a strong foundation for India's success. Team captain Grandmaster Abhijeet Kunte praised his players' efforts.

Kunte highlighted the importance of the final two rounds where Divya and Vantika excelled. He acknowledged Vaishali's early contributions and appreciated Harika's solid play along with Tania's strong start.

The Indian women's chess team demonstrated remarkable resilience and teamwork to achieve this historic victory at the Chess Olympiad. Their collective efforts brought them well-deserved recognition on an international stage.