Chess Kenya (CK) chairman Bernard Wanjala is optimistic that Kenya will qualify for the 44th edition of the World Olympiad Chess Championships scheduled for next month in Chennai, India.
India is home to top chess players including Tamil Nadu and grandmaster Vishwanathan Anand, who are expected for the event set for August 28 to September 10.
The event was initially planned for last year but was shelved due to the coronavirus pandemic.
A formidable Team Kenya was named during the national championships and Wanjala confirmed that preparations are ongoing and the team is raring to go.
“The team preparations are in top gear though not in the residential camp. They train together and spend time at their homes. The training has been going on both physically and online to sharpen their skills,” said Wanjala.
Last year, Kenya hosted the Africa Individual Schools Chess Championships (AISCC) in Nairobi, where some of the junior players were featured.
The biennial World Olympiad Championships was held virtually last year due to coronavirus with Kenyans losing all their games.
He noted: “We have some coaches doing online training which is good for our players as they prepare to fly the Kenyan flag in India. We had successful national events and the team is ready to rumble.”
The team is coached by Benjamin Magana, who also stands in as the team captain for the men's side while the women's team is coached by Moses Andiwoh.
