Mendoza sparks Phl charge in Asian Youth

MANILA, Philippines - Shania Mae Mendoza led the way as the Philippines scooped up a gold, a silver and a bronze in the rapid competitions of the 2012 Asian Youth Chess Championships over the weekend in Sri Lanka.

Mendoza stamped her class in the girls’ under-14, while Stephen Rome Pangilinan took runner-up honors in the boys’under-10, and Justin Mordido placed third in the boys’ under-8 side as all three Pinoy bets landed podium finishes.

After five straight wins, Sta. Rosa, Laguna’s Mendoza halved the point with Shiny Das of India in the sixth round and Tan Li Ting of Malaysia in the seventh to finish with an aggregate of six points and dispose of her rivals for the U-14 crown.

Ashwini U of India was a close second with 5.5 points followed by WFM This Dieu Ai of Vietnam at third with 5 points.

Mendoza got off to a blistering start in the seven-round tourney, nipping Gunawardena Piyumi of Sri Lanka, WFM Monnisha Gk of India, Peng Xinbei of China, Ashwini and Thi one after the other, to boost her bid.

Pangilinan, for his part, wound up in a four-way tie for first in the boys’ U-10 with 5.5 points but eventually settled for No. 2 as FM Nguyen Anh Khoi of Vietnam emerged champ via the bucholz tiebreak points.

Thilakarathne G M H of Sri Lanka got the bronze as FM Ram Aravind L N of India ended fourth.

Mordido of Las Pinas City salvaged a bronze by defeating Ganzorig Amartuvshin of Mongolia in the seventh and final round. He tallied 5.0 points for No. 3 behind Nguyen Huynh Minh Thien (6.5 points) and Ngo Duc Tri (6.0 points), who underscored Vietnamese domination with a 1-2 finish in the boys’ U-8. 

The Filipinos’ chess campaign was supported by National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) Chairman/President Prospero “Butch” Pichay Jr., Secretary-General Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino Jr., Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Chairman Ricardo “Ritchie” Garcia, Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) President Jose “Peping” Cojuangco, Jr., Sta. Rosa City Mayor Arlene Arcillas and City sports Development Officer at City of Santa Rosa Dennis Queano Aquino.

International Arbiter Casto “Toti” Abundo served as the chief arbiter in the event organized by Chess Federation of Sri Lanka and sanctioned by the World Chess Federation (FIDE).