Ssegwanyi wins zonal event, earns WC ticket
Ssegwanyi displays his trophy and bicycle rewards he received for winning the Zone 4.2 Africa Chess Championship in Kampala at the weekend. PHOTO BY ISMAIL KEZAALA
What you need to know:
Chess. Female players Grace Kigeni and Goretti Angolikin also improve status after scintillating displays.
KAMPALA.
On a day that Arthur Ssegwanyi was crowned winner of the Zone 4.2 Africa Chess Championship at City Oil, Kamwokya, there was much more to celebrate for Team Uganda.
Apart from Ssegwanyi becoming an International Master (IM) due to his exploits, six other Ugandan players improved their statuses.
Raphael Buti, who shocked Egyptian Grand Master, El Gindy Essam, rose to Fide Master as well as Patrick Kawuma while Daniel Baagadde attained Candidate Master status.
The ladies were not to be left out too with second-placed Grace Kigeni turning into a Woman Fide Master (WFM) while Goretti Angolikin and Christine Namaganda became Women Candidate Masters (WCM) after finishing fifth and eighth respectively. “The exposure we will get after here is huge,” Uganda Chess Federation president Vianney Lugya explained.
Ssegwanyi will also be one of the five continental representatives at the World Cup (WC) to be hosted in Azerbaijan later in August, a first for a Ugandan player.
“It will be tough but I believe in myself whatever the opposition,” Ssegwanyi, who is guaranteed Euros 6000 (about Shs20m) for appearing in Baku. Ssegwangyi is now the second International Master in East Africa, the second being country mate, Elijah Emojong.
Zone 4.2 championship
TOP PERFORMERS
Ssegwanyi Arthur
Hesham Abdelrahman Egypt
Kawuma Patrick
Raphael Buti
El Gindy Essam
