Russians dominate the podium in open tournament.
MOSCOW, December 29. /TASS/. The victory of Russian grandmasters at the FIDE World Rapid Chess Championship once again highlights the strength of the Russian chess tradition, stated Dmitry Peskov, Press Secretary of the President of the Russian Federation and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Chess Federation of Russia.
Russian Grandmaster Volodar Murzin claimed the title of FIDE World Rapid Champion on Sunday in New York, scoring 10 points out of 13 without a single defeat. Alexander Grischuk secured the silver medal with a score of 9.5 points, the same number of points as Ian Nepomniachtchi, who finished in third place. In the women’s event, Kateryna Lagno earned the bronze medal.
“There is excellent news from the FIDE World Rapid Chess Championship. Our chess players have achieved remarkable success,” said Mr. Peskov. “The whole podium in the open event belongs to us. Volodar Murzin’s gold medal once again underscores the strength and competitiveness of our chess school. There is no denying the fact that our players, especially those of the younger generation, have a brilliant future in chess ahead of them. The whole country is proud of what they’ve achieved”.
Mr. Peskov also had praise for the efforts of the Chess Federation of Russia. “I would like to extend special congratulations to our Chess Federation, which has made extraordinary efforts from the very beginning to ensure that our players can participate in international competitions. This strategy has worked well. Athletes have to compete to succeed,” added Peskov, expressing his hope for continued success and victories for all the Russian players at the upcoming events.