Accra, July 6, GNA - Nigerian Emmanuel Ochuku
Onovughe brushed aside competition from compatriot Erhabor David and Manan
Yoboue Hermann from Cote d’Ivoire to win the 5th President’s Cup Chess
Championship held at the Theodosia Okoh Hockey Stadium.
The
competition saw about 30 participants from Nigeria, Cote d’Ivoire, and Togo to
battle in the five day event.
Onuvughe
capped his excellent tournament with draws in the final two rounds to
gain 7.5 points ahead of veteran Erhabor who came second with seven points to
pocket USD 700 whilst Erhabor took USD 500 with the third Hermann awarded USD
400.
Nigerian
Ofowino Toretsemuwa emerged as the top placed lady winner whilst Ghanaian duo
International Master Anquandah Francis Eric and Candidate Master Jamena Joseph
Mensah ended the event as the top placed local players.
The winner in the
middle with the executives
In the U
16 junior category top seed Devyansh Agarwal emerged winner in the male
category whilst Marian Farmmer won the female category.
The 5th
President’s Cup by Ghana Chess Association (GCA) in partnership with Kasparov
Chess Foundation who presented 600 chess sets to GCA was held to improve the
performance of players and create awareness for the discipline.
Onuveghe
told GNA Sports that "This is my first time and I feel excited to win
because I had a stiff competition from my competitors.
"I
think chess should be introduced in schools for the youth to partake.
It was a
well organised tournament with good players who are improving with lots of
potentials in them and all they need is tournaments like this to better their
performance’’.
The vice
president of GCA Phillip Ameku stated that, the chess sets presented to them
will be used to develop the game at school level across the country and urged
the players to keep training ahead of the inter-club and the National
Championship.
Ameku revealed that, his outfit hoped to
participate in next year’s Chess Olympiad.
