Koneru Humpy wins 2nd Rapid Chess Championship Title

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India's chess prowess shone brightly again as Koneru Humpy claimed her second World Rapid Chess Championship title on Sunday. The 37-year-old defeated Indonesia's Irene Sukandar in a tense final round to secure the coveted crown, adding another milestone to her illustrious career.

This win marks Humpy's second triumph in the rapid format, her first coming in 2019 in Georgia. She now stands alongside China's Ju Wenjun as the only two players to win multiple World Rapid titles in the women's category.

Humpy's victory is the latest achievement in what has been an extraordinary year for Indian chess. Earlier, teenage sensation D Gukesh made history by defeating China's Ding Liren to become the World Classical Chess Champion in Singapore. These victories reflect India's growing dominance in global chess competitions.

Throughout her career, Humpy has shown exceptional consistency in the rapid format. She earned a bronze medal at the 2012 championship in Moscow and secured silver in last year's edition in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. This year, she delivered a near-flawless performance, amassing 8.5 points from 11 rounds to take home the title.

"It's high time for India - we have Gukesh as the World Champion and now I got the second world title in the Rapid event," she said.

In the men's division, Russia's 18-year-old Volodar Murzin emerged as the champion. Murzin's victory makes him the second-youngest player to win the title, following Nodirbek Abdusattorov, who achieved the feat at 17.