Zambia International Master Kelvin Chumfwa has won the 2024 Zone 4.5 Chess Championship, which was hosted by Zambia.
In addition to the championship, hosts Zambia secured nine medals.
Chumfwa triumphed over 30 competitors in the Open Section, finishing with seven points.
In the Women’s category, Zambia earned a bronze medal through Naomi Mwale, who scored six points.
Zambia dominated the Under 16 Boys’ and Girls’ categories, sweeping all the available top three positions.
Kennedy Shane and Alinuswe Namwai each claimed gold.
The 4.5 chess tournament, which closed on Saturday in Lusaka attracted participants from five countries in Southern and Central Africa, Leslie Chikuse, Commissioner of the Chess Federation of Zambia, said.
Chikuse explained that the Zone 4.5 and African champions would be determined from this tournament and that Zambia was using the tournament to prepare for the Chess Olympiad to be held in Budapest, Hungary in September.
The Olympiad is the sport’s biggest event and Zambia will send 12 participating envoys.
Chikuse also expressed gratitude that the Ministry of Sports would host a national youth event on 26 and 27 October and to prepare for it, the Federation would embark on a countrywide talent identification program in which more than 15 federations will be involved.
Participants in Zone 4.5 tournament competed in the men’s, women’s, and junior categories.
The event was co-hosted by the Project Chess Zambia academy and the Chess Federation of Zambia.
