CHENNAI: Women’s Candidate Master Sharvaanica AS has made the country proud by winning gold and being crowned the new world champion in the Under-10 Girls category at the FIDE World Cadet Championship, which concluded in Kazakhstan on Tuesday.

It was a slow start for the World Rapid champion, who lost the opening round but came back strongly with nine consecutive victories to finish with 9 out of 11 points and secure the top prize.

Sharvaanica was the only Indian player to be crowned champion from a national contingent of nearly 30 participants, in a tournament that saw players from over 90 countries.

In the final round, she faced a tough defeat against Zhou Abigail from the USA. Meanwhile, Nandinjiguur Chinzorig from Mongolia drew her game on board two, also finishing with 9 points. H

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