India makes history with double gold at 2024 Chess Olympiad
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In a historic achievement, India secured its first-ever double gold at the 45th Chess Olympiad, with both the men's and women's teams emerging victorious.
The men's team clinched their maiden title by defeating Slovenia, while the women's team dominated Azerbaijan with a 3.5-0.5 scoreline in the final round on Sunday.
The Indian men’s team, led by young stars D Gukesh, Arjun Erigaisi, and R Praggnanandhaa, showcased exceptional performances in the decisive 11th round.
Gukesh demonstrated his strategic brilliance in a hard-fought win against Slovenia’s Vladimir Fedoseev, while Erigaisi delivered a commanding victory with black pieces over Jan Subeli. Praggnanandhaa sealed the triumph with a crushing win against Anton Demchenko, leading India to a 3-0 victory with one game still left.
The Indian men's team finished with an impressive 21 points out of a possible 22, conceding only one draw to Uzbekistan and defeating every other opponent along the way. Previously, the Indian men had won bronze medals in 2014 and 2022.
The women’s team followed up with their own historic victory, overpowering Azerbaijan 3.5-0.5. D Harika displayed her technical prowess on the top board, while Divya Deshmukh secured her individual gold on the third board. After R Vaishali drew her match, Vantika Agrawal delivered another brilliant win to confirm India’s victory, completing a rare and remarkable double gold for the nation.