Ivana Furtado Under 8 Girls World Chess Champion

Impressive - and great for chess in India. Goa’s Chess prodigy Ivana retains world title BY SPORTS REPORTER PANJIM, NOV 28 – There is no stopping Ivana Furtado. After securing a place in the Limca Book of Records for being India’s youngest world champion, Ivana added another feather to her cap by retaining the World Girls under-8 chess title at Antalya, Turkey. On Wednesday, Ivana – playing with black pieces — kept her cool and played the all-important draw with Zhansaya Abdumalik (Kazakhstan) to retain her title. She secured nine points from a maximum of 11 after winning eight games, drawing two and losing one. Ivana now becomes only the third girl after Koneru Humpy and Dronavalli Harika to win more than one world age group title. Ivana’s title triumph in distant Antalya was received with a thunderous applause right from Kanyakumari to Kashmir. World champion Viswanathan Anand was among the first to congratulate Goa’s child prodigy. The World Champion hailed the triumph and said he was delighted that there was one more age group world champion. “I was in contact with Ivana Furtado and was supposed to have played a simultaneous in Goa but could not make it,” Anand said on the AICF’s official website, before continuing, “I am happy for her win and wish her well.” Chief Minister Digambar Kamat said Ivana’s amazing success at Antalya will be a great motivator for youngsters in Goa. “I am sure Ivana’s triumph will inspire many others,” said Digambar. Goa State Chess Association President Sameer Salgaoncar attributed Ivana’s success to her coach Dronacharya awardee Raghunandan Gokhale, her family and GSCA.