Praggnanandhaa Celebrates India's Historic Chess Olympiad Double Gold Win

Indian Chess Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa praised India’s remarkable achievement of winning double gold medals at the 45th Chess Olympiad 2024. The historic win, he believes, will help popularize chess even further in the country.

Historic Win for India

On September 22, 2024, India made history by clinching its first-ever gold medals in both the men’s and women’s categories at the Chess Olympiad, held in Budapest, Hungary. This is the first time India has secured gold in both categories simultaneously. Praggnanandhaa emphasized the significance of this moment, noting that it was a very proud occasion for everyone. He also expressed his belief that this victory would help bring chess to a broader audience.

Final Round Victories

The Indian men’s team, consisting of Gukesh Dommaraju, Arjun Erigaisi, and Praggnanandhaa, secured gold by defeating Slovakia in the final round. Meanwhile, the women’s team, featuring Harika Dronavalli, R Vaishali, Divya Deshmukh, Vantika Agarwal, and Tania Sachdev, triumphed over Azerbaijan with a dominant 3.5-0.5 win to claim their gold medal.

Reflection on Past Performance

Praggnanandhaa reflected on the lessons the team had learned from the previous Olympiad in Chennai, where India had come close to winning gold but ultimately had to settle for bronze. He noted that this year, the team's experience and determination had paid off. He mentioned that there was no specific technique involved, but they were able to use their experience to secure the gold by simply playing their best.

Team Effort and Captain's Perspective

Srinath, the captain of the Indian men’s team, described the journey to gold as smooth and credited the entire team’s effort for their victory. He stated that India had won the gold medal at the Olympiad for the first time, calling it a historic achievement. As captain, he remarked that everything had gone smoothly from the start and emphasized that it was a complete team effort.

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India’s double gold victory at the Chess Olympiad 2024 marks a significant milestone in the country’s chess history. The success not only boosts national pride but is expected to inspire a new generation of chess enthusiasts, taking the game to even greater heights in India.