India just pulled off a legendary move, winning its first-ever gold medals in both the men’s and women’s categories at the 45th Chess Olympiad in Budapest, Hungary! 🇮🇳🔥 This is the first time ever that both teams have secured gold at the same time, marking a huge milestone in Indian chess history. Let’s dive into how they made it happen!
HISTORY created 🔥🔥🔥
— India_AllSports (@India_AllSports) September 22, 2024
Double Chess Olympiad GOLD medals for India (in both Open & Women sections).
Women Squad: Harika Dronavalli, Vaishali Rameshbabu, Divya Deshmukh, Vantika Agrawal, Tania Sachdev and Abhijit Kunte (Captain).
Open Squad: Gukesh D, Praggnanandhaa R, Arjun… pic.twitter.com/8cHydCnFk7
Men’s Team = DOMINATED 🚀
The Indian men’s team was on an absolute tear, defeating Slovenia in the final round. Our chess legends D Gukesh, Arjun Erigaisi, and R Praggnanandhaa secured massive wins to seal the deal. Their performance was nothing short of incredible—Gukesh scored 9 out of 10 points, taking his live rating to World No. 5! Meanwhile, Arjun was straight-up unstoppable, finishing with 10 out of 11 points, boosting his live rating to World No. 3, ahead of big names like Fabiano Caruana! 🤯
The team was so strong they lost only 1 game out of 44 played throughout the Olympiad, which is wild when you think about the level of competition they faced. Praggnanandhaa, along with Pentala Harikrishna and Vidit Gujrathi, also brought their A-game, making sure India left no room for error! 🏅💥
22nd September, 2024 is a red letter day for Indian Chess – this is one of the biggest moments in Indian Chess History. Team India wins Double Gold medals in the Chess Olympiad 2024! The Indian Open and Women's Team both secured Team Gold medals, with many more Individual Board… pic.twitter.com/Q6KrvIjKus
— ChessBase India (@ChessbaseIndia) September 22, 2024
Women’s Team = QUEENS 👑
Not to be outdone, the women’s team also flexed their skills, taking down Azerbaijan in the final round with a solid 3.5-0.5 victory. D Harika, one of India’s top players, was unstoppable on the first board, while Divya Deshmukh outclassed her opponent on the third board to secure her own individual gold! 🥇
R Vaishali played an intense game and secured a draw, while Vantika Agrawal added another victory to the team’s scorecard, sealing the team’s historic win. These women showed the world they’re not just competitors, they’re champions! 🔥👑
A Milestone for Indian Chess 🚨
This victory is historic for India. The men’s team had previously won bronze twice, once in 2014 and again in 2022, while the women’s team also snagged a bronze medal in 2022 during the Olympiad held in Chennai. But now, both teams have reached the pinnacle, bringing home gold medals for the first time ever! This is a moment that will go down in Indian sports history as a turning point for Indian chess on the global stage. 🌍🎉
Double Gold for India at the Chess Olympiad! 🏆
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) September 22, 2024
Incredibly proud of our champions – Divya Deshmukh, R Vaishali, D Harika, Tania Sachdev, Vantika Agrawal, their Captain Abhijit Kunte and their teams. Heartfelt congratulations to each of you.
Your brilliance, teamwork, and… pic.twitter.com/KVGUmtfomA
India’s Pride & International Praise 🌟
Social media has been buzzing with congratulatory messages, and one of the most notable came from Rahul Gandhi, who expressed his pride and admiration for the team’s hard work and dedication. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), he praised chess icons Gukesh, Arjun, Vidit, Praggnanandhaa, Harikrishna, and their coaches for their phenomenal strategy and dedication to the game.
Even on the international front, India’s performance has caught the eye. The Norway Chess organization tweeted about the men’s team’s near-flawless record and how this Olympiad marked a new era in Indian chess. With talent like this, it’s clear that India is on its way to becoming a chess superpower 💪🇮🇳.
Thrilled to see Team India clinch its first-ever Gold Medal in the Open Section at the Chess Olympiad 🏆
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) September 22, 2024
Huge congratulations to Gukesh Dommaraju, Arjun Erigaisi, Vidit Gujrathi, Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu, Pentala Harikrishna, Srinath Narayanan, and their teams. Your remarkable… pic.twitter.com/5ITApz9bkD
India’s double gold win in the 2024 Chess Olympiad is a testament to the rising power of Indian chess and a major source of national pride. From the incredible performances of our men’s team to the unstoppable energy of our women’s squad, this is only the beginning of what’s sure to be an even brighter future for Indian chess! 🌟
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