Sri Lanka achieved notable success at the Commonwealth Blitz Chess Championship 2024, securing four gold medals and seven bronze medals.
Gold Medals:
- Under 18 Girls: WCM K M Dahamdi Sanudula
- Under 16 Girls: Amesha Shenali Wijesinghe
- Under 12 Girls: WIM Devindya Oshini Gunawardhana
- Under 10 Open: Thehas Rithmitha Kiringoda
Bronze Medals:
- Under 18 Open: Sasandu Upeksha Dissanayake
- Under 18 Girls: WCM Ehsha Mishela Pallie
- Under 16 Open: K A R G W S N B I Galkotuwa
- Under 14 Girls: J M Theruni V Jayasundara
- Under 10 Open: S M Sethika Hansira Samaraweera
- Under 10 Girls: M K Isali Pinipa Leelananda
- Under 08 Girls: Warnakulasuriya Eleesha Fernando
The Commonwealth Blitz Chess Championship 2024 was held on August 29 at the Citrus Hotel in Waskaduwa, Sri Lanka. Organized by the Chess Federation of Sri Lanka on behalf of the Commonwealth Chess Association and FIDE, it ran parallel to the Commonwealth Chess Championship 2024. The event featured an open championship and youth championships for Under 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, and 18 categories, divided into open and girls’ sections. A total of 340 players competed in the championship.
Open Championship:
54 players competed. GM S. Dhopade Swapnil of India won the championship with 7.5/9 points. GM Guha Mitrabha of India secured the first runner-up position with 7.5/9 points, while IM Madhavan N B Hari of India finished as the second runner-up with 7/9 points.
Women Championship:
WIM Sakshi Chitlange won the championship scoring 5.5/9 points. WGM Mary Ann Gomes of India took the first runner-up position with 5/9 points, and WFM Sirin Kalyani of India finished as the second runner-up, also with 5/9 points.
Under 18 Open:
12 players competed. Santhosh Parvathareddy Ajay of India won the championship with 6.5/7 points. FM Gaurang Bagwe of India secured the first runner-up position with 5.5/7 points, while Sasandu Upeksha Dissanayake of Sri Lanka won the second runner-up position with 5/7 points.
Under 18 Girls:
9 players competed. WCM K M Dahamdi Sanudula of Sri Lanka won the championship scoring 7/9 points. WCM Datta Rajanya of India was the first runner-up with 5.5/9 points, and WCM Ehsha Mishela Pallie of Sri Lanka was the second runner-up, also with 5.5/9 points.
Under 16 Open:
19 players competed. Goyal Daksh of India took the title with 7.5/9 points. S Rohith of India was the first runner-up with 7/9 points, and K A R G W S N B I Galkotuwa of Sri Lanka was the second runner-up with 6.5/9 points.
Under 16 Girls:
14 players competed. Amesha Shenali Wijesinghe of Sri Lanka won the championship with 5/7 points. Mallick Mrittika of India secured the first runner-up position with 5/7 points, and AFM Jain Yashvi of India took the second runner-up spot, also with 5/7 points.
Under 14 Open:
21 players competed. AIM B U Premshankar of India won the championship scoring 7/9 points. Viresh Sharnarthi of India secured the first runner-up position with 6.5/9 points, and V Raghav of India took the second runner-up position with 6.5/9 points.
Under 14 Girls:
18 players competed. WCM Arshiya, Das of India won the championship with 7.5/9 points. AFM Shanmathi, Sree S of India was the first runner-up with 7.5/9 points, and J M Theruni V Jayasundara of Sri Lanka secured the second runner-up position with 6.5/9 points.
Under 12 Open:
33 players competed. Poonja Siddhanth of India secured the championship with 8.5/9 points. AIM Theophane Lenin Aadik of India was the first runner-up with 7.5/9 points, and Majumder Mayukh of India took the second runner-up position with 7/9 points.
Under 12 Girls:
26 players competed. WIM Devindya Oshini Gunawardhana of Sri Lanka won the championship with 8/9 points. WCM Bordoloi Pratitee of India was the first runner-up, also with 8/9 points, and Shah Hanya of India secured the second runner-up position with 7/9 points.
Under 10 Open:
30 players competed. Thehas Rithmitha Kiringoda of Sri Lanka won the championship with 8/9 points. Advik, Amit Agrawal of India was the first runner-up with 7/9 points, and S M Sethika Hansira Samaraweera of Sri Lanka was the second runner-up, also with 7/9 points.
Under 10 Girls:
29 players competed. Pungavanam Samhita of India won the championship with 8/9 points. Bijesh Divi of India was the first runner-up with 7.5/9 points, and M K Isali Pinipa Leelananda of Sri Lanka secured the second runner-up position with 7/9 points.
Under 08 Open:
39 players competed. Phutane Ayaan of India won the championship with 7.5/9 points. Garg Hriday of India was the first runner-up with 7/9 points, and Sarbartho Mani of India secured the second runner-up position, also with 7/9 points.
Under 08 Girls:
36 players competed. Gumudavelly Nakshatra of India won the championship with a perfect score of 9/9 points. M Harshika of India was the first runner-up with 7/9 points, and Warnakulasuriya Eleesha Fernando of Sri Lanka took third place with 6/9 points.
Congratulations to all the participants and winners for their outstanding performances.
