Mikia Kalati
LESOTHO chess star Theko Khanyapa bagged a bronze medal at the recently ended African Amateur Individuals Chess Championship in the U1700 category in Namibia.
Lesotho was represented by three players at the championship with the duo of Sechaba Khalema and Tokelo Klaas completing the team and played in the U2000 category.
Khalema scored five points out of nine and finished ninth in his category while Klaas scored four points and in the process finished 16th.
Khanyapa on the other hand scored 6, 5 points in his category to finish third and bag a bronze medal.
The Lesotho Chess Federation public relations officer, Khiba Selatela, said they were proud of their three players who took part in the continental tournament in Namibia.
Selatela also praised Khanyapa for doing the country proud by winning the bronze medal at the tournament.
“We would like to congratulate all the gentlemen for representing the Mountain Kingdom at such a prestigious event,” Selatela said.
“In addition, we congratulate Khanyapa for finishing third bringing home a bronze medal and along with M2800 prize.
“He has done very well and we are proud of him. It’s very rare for our players to win such an award as he did.”
Selatela also said that their participation in the continental tourney in Namibia will go a long way in improving the standards of the sport in the country.
“Tournaments like this are also rare events and not everyone gets a chance to compete in them so we are very happy that our players made us proud,” Selatela said.
The Lesotho chess team also participated at the Chess Olympiad held in Batumi Georgia last year.
In Georgia, Klaas enjoyed an outstanding tournament and was awarded a candidate master title.
In the process, he joined four other local chess players to have been awarded the master title including Joang Molapo, who is the Minister of Public Service. Molapo was however, not part of the Chess Olympiad in Georgia last year.
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