PRINCE Msokeri gave Zimbabwe its only medal at the 2nd FIDE Chess Olympiad for People with Disabilities, which ended on Saturday in Astana.
The 37-year-old chess player finished with five wins from six games on Board 4, taking third place behind India’s Gangolli Kishan and FIDE 2’ Rasikhin Ihar.
Msokeri helped Zimbabwe finish 31st out of 34 teams after a demanding week of matches that tested their skill. The team managed one win and one draw, losing four rounds against much higher-rated opponents.
Presence Murove also put in a strong effort, finishing with a 50 per cent score on Board 4 and placing 16th overall in his section.
For Msokeri, the bronze medal marked a personal turning point. During the COVID-19 lockdown years, he slipped into drug and substance abuse, a struggle that nearly pulled him away from the game for good. After long months of recovery, he returned to the board with renewed focus.
Msokeri, who grew up in Chitungwiza, learned chess as a boy and quickly made a name for himself in school tournaments. In 2002, he took gold at the Prince Edward School Chess Festival, tying with Farai Mandizha and Rodwell Makoto. The next year he won another gold medal at the St. George’s Under-16 Tournament.
After several quiet years, he returned to competitive play in 2023, finishing in a joint fourth place at the CABS Candidates Tournament. His latest success in Astana now marks a full-circle moment in a career shaped by early promise, personal struggle, and renewed purpose.
