Mangalore School Girls Score Big: Qualify for Nationals!

Tuesday, September 20, 2011 10:49:27 PM (IST) Mangalore: Seven from Derik's Chess School Qualify for National Championships

Mangalore: Seven from Derik's Chess School Qualify for National Championship Media Release Mangalore, Sep 20: Seven students of city's Derik's Chess School have qualified for the National School Chess Championship to be organised by School Games Federation of India from September 25 to 29 at Jabalpur, Madhyapradesh. Out of the seven, Nihal Manjunath, Vanessa D'Souza, Andria D'Souza, Reesha Shenoy, Pangal Gopalkrishna Nayak and Mahima Khandige are from various schools in the city. Nihal Manjunath Nihal Manjunath of St Aloysius P U College, scored 7.5 points in 9 rounds in the State PU Boys Chess selection trials. He won the runner up place and was selected for the Karnataka Under 19 Boys team participating in the National school games. Vanessa D'Souza CAI's national women champion Vanessa D'Souza of St Agnes P U College, was initially seeded 5th in the Karnataka state PU Girls Chess selection trials held at Chikmagalur on September 5 and 6. She outwitted her opponents including seeded FIDE rated players with ease to score very impressive 8.5 points in 9 rounds. With this performance she has not only won the title, she will now lead the Karnataka Under 19 girls team in the National School Games. This is the 7th time she is representing Karnataka in the National School Games. She has played major roles in winning medals for the state. Andria D'Souza Andria D'Souza of St Agnes Girls High School, scored an unbeaten 8.5 points in 10 rounds to defend her title in the Karnataka State under-14 girls chess selection trials held at Shimoga from September 7-10. She will lead Karnataka under-14 girls team in the national school games for the second consecutive year. Reesha Shenoy Reesha Shenoy of St Anne's Primary School, scored 8 points in 10 rounds to win the fourth place in the under-14 girls category and a berth in the state under-14 girls team. Pangal Gopalkrishna Nayak Pangal Gopalkrishna Nayak of Canara Urwa High school, scored 8.5 points to secure runner-up place in the under-14 boys category. He will represent Karnataka team for the consecutive second time in the National School Games. Mahima Khandige Mahima Khandige of St Agnes Girls High School, scored 8 points in 10 rounds in the under-17 girls selection trials, securing the 5th place and a berth in the Karnataka state under-17 girls team. Sinchana Gowda Sinchana Gowda of Jawahar Navodaya, Balehonnur, Chikmagalur district scored 9 points in 9 rounds with easy wins in all the rounds to secure first place in the National Jawahar Navodaya Chess Championship in under-14 girls category held in Chandigarh on September 17 and 18. She will now lead the Jawahar Navodaya team in the National School Games.