By: Lilemo Matlotlo
Chess Federation of Lesotho (CFL) has been performing well in the international activities recently.
This became evident during the 2019 Youth Teams Chess Championship competition which went underway on November, 22-26, 2019 at Blue Mountain Inn hotel, Berea, Lesotho.
Lesotho chess team B came out as the runner up after bagged 14 points.
They grabbed six silver medals, six mokorotlo hats, six tablets, six chess sets and clocks.
Botswana team booked its spot in 2020 World Youth Chess Olympiad following the victory in 2019 Zone 4.5 Youth Teams Chess Championship.
In this competition there were four nations represented, which are: Botswana, Eswatini, Malawi and Lesotho.
Therefore, Botswana chess side crowned champions after securing 16.5 points in four rounds. Botswana took home six gold medals, six mokorotlo hats and a ticket to participate in 2020 World Youth Chess Olympiad.
Malawi surfaced into the third place with a collection of seven points, while Eswatini finished at a tail of the group with just a sum of 4.5 points.
However, there were also individual board prizes for players, where Lesotho chess players; Tšepe Lebajoa and Ntšielo Bonolo won a board each.
Lebajoa came victorious in board one, while Bonolo claimed a victory in board four.
On the other hand, the Batswana chess players secured three boards victories. Keabetswe Makwaeba won board two, Oageng Chalashika was victorious in board 3 and Otisitswe Ruth won board five.
The board’s winners in 2019 Zone 4.5 Youth Teams Chess Competition were awarded Mekorotlo hats.
