India's Double Gold at Chess Olympiad: A Historic Triumph

Indian chess grandmaster Vidit Gujrathi believes that India's double gold at the Chess Olympiad will reshape perceptions of the sport. Both men's and women's teams secured gold for the first time, making history. Other grandmasters also shared their thoughts on this significant achievement.

Indian chess grandmaster Vidit Gujrathi predicted on Wednesday that India's double gold at the Chess Olympiad would alter public perceptions of the game. The country's men's and women's teams made history at the recently concluded Olympiad by clinching gold medals simultaneously for the first time, joining an elite group of nations to have achieved this feat.

Speaking to ANI, Vidit emphasized the significance of the gold medals, stating that the triumph holds special meaning as both teams were victorious. He expressed hope that India would continue to dominate in the sport. "This gold is special for Indian chess; it has received so much love. Winning in both categories is historic and will change how people view chess. We now know that India is the best, and hopefully, we will keep dominating," said Vidit.

Another grandmaster, Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa, echoed the sentiment, labeling the double gold as historic. "We have achieved something historic by winning two gold medals. It's important not to compare sports, as every sport has its own challenges," Praggnanandhaa noted.

Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi revealed that there wasn't much pressure during the tournament and that the team approached each game individually. "My next goal is the Global Chess League, one of the world's strongest tournaments. In two years, we have improved significantly. Before the Olympiad, we just decided to go for the gold, taking one game at a time," Erigaisi commented.

The USA came in second in the men's competition and won bronze in the women's. Uzbekistan took bronze in the men's, while Kazakhstan secured silver in the women's category. The Indian men's team consisting of D Gukesh, R Praggnanandhaa, Arjun Erigaisi, Vidit Gujrathi, and Pentala Harikrishna beat Slovenia to clinch the gold with a score of 3.5-0.5.

Wins by D Gukesh and Arjun Erigaisi ensured a 2-0 lead, with Praggnanandhaa and Vidit contributing later to seal the victory. On the women's side, Harika Dronavalli, R Vaishali, Divya Deshmukh, Vantika Agarwal, and Tania Sachdev also won gold by defeating Azerbaijan 3.5-0.5.

Harika Dronavalli, Divya Deshmukh, and Vantika Agrawal claimed victories in their matches, while R Vaishali drew against Ulviyya Fataliyeva.

(With inputs from agencies.)