A seven-member delegation left Saint Lucia last week to compete for the first time at the 44th Chess Olympiad, which will be hosted this year in Chennai, India, from July 29 to August 10.
The team comprises Candidate Master Reginald Martyr, Sixtus Gabriel, Cyrus Daniel, Nathaniel Mathurin, Arvin Nicholas, trainer Martin Comas, and Delegate Tris-Ann Richards.
Saint Lucia is ranked 4th in the English-speaking Caribbean, 147th out of 187 countries, and number one in the Eastern Caribbean.
President of the Saint Lucia Chess Federation (SLCF), Tris-Ann Richards, says the team is pumped and ready to go and create history.
“It’s a really rigorous chess tournament with over nine rounds,” she said. “We have an open team of male players, including four players and reserves. So they’re really excited to go out and do Saint Lucia proud.”
Richards said the team’s participation in the Chess Olympiad was made possible through numerous sponsors, including J.E. Bergasse and Co. Ltd, LUCELEC, National Community Foundation (NCF), National Lotteries Authority, Computer and Business Services Ltd., and Ministry of Youth Development & Sports. This Chess Olympiad is the Olympics of Chess and is the biggest ever with over 187 countries set to take part in this global event. India won the bid to host the event after the Russia lost the bid due to the Ukraine crisis.
