Chess Olympiad team departs with encouragement from GCF

The Guyana Chess Federation (GCF) recently ‘killed two birds with one stone’, rewarding this year’s top performers of the National Junior and Senior Championships, while seeing off their team for the 45th FIDE Chess Olympiad.
Guyana’s 10-member Olympiad team departed local shores on Sunday for the competition which will run from September 10th to 23rd in Budapest, Hungary.
As the team prepared to travel, GCF President Anand Raghunauth encouraged the Olympiad team to be good ambassadors of the sport for Guyana.
“Those selected to play for Guyana on the Olympiad team, you have a very special task ahead. Not only by participating and doing well, but being ambassadors for the federation. We will look at you as examples for the others. So, take your job very seriously,” Raghunauth said, addressing the team.
Raghunauth also had encouraging words for the younger players who missed out on Olympiad spots, noting that their improved performances can benefit the Federation and themselves in future.

The GCF President charged the younger players, “For those prominently placed in the junior competition, the junior winners, you have a role to play, you have to inspire the others. The Federation cannot do it without you. The more quality play you put out, the more rewards comes to the Federation, the more opportunities will come to you.”
On the other hand, one of Guyana’s senior players on the Olympiad team, FM Anthony Drayton shared his expectations for the international tournament.
“It’s very important, this is the most important tournament for me every two years. My achievements include surpassing my previous results and achieving something new for Guyana. For example, maybe trying to achieve the IM [International Master] title or at least a faction of it while I’m there,” Drayton envisioned.
Guyana’s Chess Olympiad team comprises WCM Jessica Callender, Aditi Joshi, WCM Sasha Shariff, Ciel Clement, Treskole Archibald, CM Taffin Khan, Keron Sandiford, FM Anthony Drayton, Loris Nathoo and Sachin Pitamber.
The team’s travel and participation in Budapest was significantly boosted by a $2.5M contribution from the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport (MCYS) and National Sports Commission (NSC). (G6)