THE Africa Youth Chess Championships came to a close on Saturday following a successfully staged week-long tournament hosted by the Zimbabwe Chess Federation (ZCF) at Dominican Convent School in Harare.
Held under the auspices of the Africa Chess Committee (ACC), the championship brought together young players from 18 countries, including Zimbabwe, Algeria, Angola, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa.
At the heart of the tournament was Chief Arbiter Constance Mbatha, an International Arbiter from Zambia, who took charge of officiating duties at her first major continental assignment as chief arbiter.
“It is my first time actually being a Chief Arbiter in such a huge tournament,” Mbatha said. “It has been an honour and a privilege because I didn’t expect it. We thank God for the blessing.”
Mbatha admitted the early stages were not without challenges, particularly during the first two rounds, where issues around player inclusion arose.
“I did have some challenges at the beginning,” she said. “But I was working with a very strong team. From that round onwards, everything was moving smoothly.”
As the days progressed, the competition settled into a steady rhythm and the organisation improved.
“So far, we’ve had a successful one from the Zimbabwean side regarding the running of the event. Everything has been good to the end, no complaints whatsoever,” Mbatha said.
Kenya gradually asserted control and emerged as the tournament’s standout nation. The East African side topped the medal table with a total of 11 medals, made up of three gold, four silver and four bronze, confirming their growing influence in African junior chess.
South Africa also enjoyed a strong campaign, finishing third overall with eight medals, one gold, three silver and four bronze. Algeria left their mark with three medals, including one gold and two silvers, while hosts Zimbabwe showed resilience and claimed a silver medal on home soil.
Kenya’s dominance drew praise from Africa Chess Committee president Tshepiso Lopang, who urged other federations to learn from their approach.
“African federations should emulate the chess culture that is being practised by Kenya,” Lopang revealed to EnterSport News.
“Their success here is not an accident. They have established chess camps across the country for their children, and the results are evident on the board today.”
For Zimbabwe Chess Federation president Todd Mapingire, the successful staging of the championship carried added significance, as it coincided with the completion of his first year in office.
“It has been a challenging but rewarding year,” Mapingire said.
“To mark my first year in office by welcoming the future of African chess to Harare is a special honour. We are proud to have hosted a successful tournament that brought together 18 nations in the spirit of friendship and competition.”
