Filipina woodpushers capture gold at FIDE Chess Olympiad

The Filipina woodpushers made a historic mark for the Philippines after winning the gold medal in Group B and finishing 24th overall in the 45th FIDE Chess Olympiad women’s division in Budapest, Hungary. 

The Philippine women’s team wrapped up their campaign with Shania Mae Mendoza, Janelle Mae Frayna, Jan Jodilyn Fronda, and Ruelle Canino succeeding across all boards to grasp a 4-0 victory against the Brazilians in their final assignment.

The Filipinas tied for 22nd place with 14 match points along with 14 other countries and 24th overall after tiebreaks were applied, clinching the first gold for the country in an Olympiad since 2006 Turin edition when the Philippine women’s squad of Sheerie Joey Lomibao, Catherine Pereña, Sherily Cua, and Beverly Mendoza ruled Group C. 

It was also the best finish since the team of Girme Fontanilla, Mila Emperado, and Ma. Cristina Santos-Fidaer placed 22nd overall in the 1988 edition in Thessaloniki, Greece.

“This is a milestone in Philippine chess history, a legacy that will not be forgotten for the generations to come,” said Grandmaster Jayson Gonzales, the coach of the national women’s team.

All five members earned rating points with Canino, the youngest member of the squad, gaining the most with 102 points, improving her rating from 2004 to 2260, after scoring six out of eight right out of her debut.

Frayna, the Philippines’ only Woman Grandmaster, emerged as the top-scorer for the country with 8 points out of 11 games with plus 27 rating points, while Mendoza produced 5.5 out of 10 with 36.2 rating points while manning the top board.

Fronda had 6.5 out of 10 games with plus 0.60 ratings points, while Bernadette Galas gained three of five with plus 8.8 rating points. 

The Filipina woodpushers’ effort somehow soothed the sorrows of the 59th place finish by the men’s team composed of Julio Catalino Sadorra, Daniel Quizon, Paulo Bersamina, John Paul Gomez, and Jan Emmanuel Garcia, and mentored by Eugene Torre with 12 points.

India ruled both open and women’s events as well as the Gaprindashvili Cup, a prize for a country with the highest combined score of both its men’s and women’s teams. 

This year’s Olympiad became the biggest in history, with 188 teams in the Open and 169 teams in the women’s section.