On September 22, India made history in Budapest by securing gold medals in both the men’s and women’s sections of the Chess Olympiad.
Following the men’s team’s remarkable triumph, the women’s squad, consisting of Harika Dronavalli, Vaishali Rameshbabu, Divya Deshmukh, Vantika Agrawal, Tania Sachdev, and captain Abhijit Kunte, secured the gold medal, achieving a momentous double for India at the Chess Olympiad.
In Round 11, India triumphed over Slovenia with a score of 3.5-0.5, clinching gold in the Open section by a margin of two match points. Wins from Arjun Erigaisi, D Gukesh, and R Praggnanandhaa, along with a draw from Vidit Gujrathi, contributed to the success.
India showcased an impressive performance throughout the tournament, losing only one game out of 44 across 11 rounds. Gukesh delivered one of the finest individual performances in Olympiad history, achieving a score of 9/10 and a performance rating of 3056. Both Gukesh and Arjun earned individual gold medals for Board 1 and Board 3, respectively. On the women’s side, Harika, Divya, and Vantika won their matches, with Vaishali settling for a draw.
In response to India’s outstanding achievements in Budapest, several female cricketers expressed their admiration for the performance of the chess teams. Former Indian captain Mithali Raj took to Twitter to commemorate the double gold at the 45th Chess Olympiad 2024, calling it a historic occasion, not only for the gold medals won by both the men’s and women’s teams but also as a proud moment for the nation.
India strikes gold twice! 🇮🇳🥇
Both our women’s and men’s teams have made history at the 45th #ChessOlympiad2024!
A proud moment for Indian chess and a celebration of grit, talent, and determination.
Congratulations, champions! ♟️ pic.twitter.com/7oZA24VTWD
— Mithali Raj (@M_Raj03) September 22, 2024
Image Source: Mithali Raj @ Instagram
