Products of the previous edition of National Youth Games, Isaac Okeke, Goodness Ekunke, and Deborah Quickpen showed a shade of their respective talents on the continent when they emerged champions at the just concluded African junior chess event in Accra, Ghana.
Aside from the trio who were products of the Youth games, another Nigerian, Olanrewaju Obaloluwa in the Under 10 section was second-best in his section. In all, Nigeria won four gold and one silver medal.
For Okeke, who competed in the highly competitive U-18 category, his resilience in the middle play gave him a big edge over the rest of the pool as he secured a perfect score in the nine-round Swiss event pairing. He will represent Africa at the World Youth Chess Championship in 2022.
Deborah Qiuckpen, the youngest player to have ever participated in the National Youth Games when she represented Bayelsa at the last biennial event, extended her doggedness on the chess board as she secured a perfect score in the Under-8 category and will represent Africa in the same category at next year’s World Cadet Chess Championship.
For her brilliancy at the last games in Ilorin, the organisers of the event gave her a special award as the youngest player when she represented her State, Bayelsa at age six.
She has also joined the rank of Nigerian chess players with Woman Candidate Master title holder.
