The UAE won three gold medals in the Western Asia Youth Chess Championship which finished yesterday at the Hili Rayhaan Rotana Hotel in Al Ain organized by the Al Ain Chess Club under the auspices of the Asian and UAE Chess Federations and Abu Dhabi Sports Council.

Seven year old Rouda Essa Alserkal of the Abu Dhabi Chess Club scored 8 points in the 9 round Swiss System tournament to win the gold medal in the girls under-8 category. Rouda earlier won the silver medals in the blitz and rapid chess events. She had just won the silver medal in the same category in the World Schools Championship this month in Sochi, Russia.

Ten year old Khaled Tarek Altaher of the Sharjah Chess Club scored 7.5 points to finish alone in first and win the gold medal in the under-10 category. He earns the Candidate Master title from the World Chess Federation (FIDE).

Al Maamari Wafia Darwish of the Al Ain Chess Club won the gold medal in the girls under-14 category. She earns the Woman FIDE Master title and a Woman International Master norm. She earlier won the gold medal in the rapid chess event and silver medal in the blitz event.

Championships were held in the under-8, 10, 12, 14, 16 and 18 categories for boys and girls among 14 countries namely India, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Palestine, Sri Lanka, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and host UAE. Sri Lanka won the team trophy with four golds followed by the UAE with three golds, two silvers and three bronze medals. Iran followed in third with three golds and two silvers.

Here are the medalists:

Boys Under-18: Gold – Malaei Mohammadamin (IRI); Silver – Mayed Alrashedi (UAE); Bronze – Weerasinghe CC (SRI)

Boys Under-16: Gold - Al Basharya Yazan (JOR); Silver - Doluweera Minul Sanjula (SRI); Bronze - Ahmed Qutayba Yunis (IRQ)

Boys Under-14: Gold - Saberi Mahan (IRI); Silver – thilakarathne GMH (SRI); Bronze – Sezdbekov Ruslan (KGZ)

Boys Under-12: Gold – Zomorrodian Eilia (IRI); Silver – Ammar Sedrani (UAE); Bronze – Mohamed Saeed Laily (UAE)

Boys Under-10: Gold –Khaled Tarek Altaher (UAE); Silver – Aryanpour Arad (IRI); Bronze – Gunarathne Senila Amaneth (SRI)

Boys Under-8: Gold –Bhagat Kush (IND); Silver – Dissanayaka Yadeesha Rashmane (SRI); Bronze – Wickramarathne TD (SRI)

Girls Under-18: Gold – Methmani Nelunika (SRI); Silver – Samarasinghe Wayuni Vinara (SRI); Bronze – Mendis Dasuni Hansika (SRI)

Girls Under-16: Gold – Wickramasinghe Dilhara Ishini (SRI); Silver – Peiris H Pevinya (SRI); Bronze - Wijesuriya GPY (SRI)

Girls Under-14: Gold – Al Maamari Wafia Darwish (UAE); Silver – Tharushi THD Niklesha (SRI); Bronze – Amal Fadel SM Alshamsi (UAE)

Girls Under-12: Gold – Kodikara KKM Sachintha (SRI); Silver – Serikbay Akniet (KAZ); Bronze – Aysha Nasser H. Alshamsi (UAE)

Girls Under-10: Gold – Pallie Ehsha Mishela (SRI); Silver – Mahjoob Zardast Artemis (IRI); Bronze – Vyas Arya Ajay (IND)

Girls Under-8: Gold – Rouda Essa Alserkal (UAE); Silver – Liyanage RL Mihini B (SRI); Bronze – Seikbay Amina (KAZ)

Visit asianchess.com for interviews and photos, and chess-results.com for final standings for boys and girls


In Photos, Asian Chess Federation Secretary General Hisham Al Taher awards trophies and medals to:


Khaled Tarek Al Taher (UAE)


Al Maamari Wafia Darwish (UAE)


Rouda Essa Alserkal (UAE)


Mayed Alrashedi (UAE)


Receiving team awards are 1st - Luxman Wijesuriya for Sri Lanka; Hisham Al Taher for UAE and Mahjoob Zardast Morteza for Iran from Asian Chess Federation Executive Director Casto Abundo (left) and Tournament Director Tarek Al Taher (right)


UAE medalists


Iran medalists


Kazakhstan medalists


Iraqi medalist