The African Amateur championship came to an end at Mombasa Continental Resort, Kenya. This year’s edition with the highest-ever attendance attracted 93 players (including 25 women) from 15 federations. All sections were 9-round Swiss tournaments with classical time control.
From a total of 18 possible podium finishes, Kenya made seven – six in women’s sections and one in the open section – to convincingly top the medal tally.
Medal standings
| Federation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
1 | Kenya | 3 | 2 | 2 | 7 |
2 | Uganda | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
3 | South Sudan | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
4 | Zimbabwe | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
5 | Somalia | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
6 | Sudan | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
7 | Zambia | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
In the U2300 Women section, Kenya occupied the entire podium with 2021 World Woman Amateur U1700 gold medalist Madelta Glenda taking top, reigning Kenya National Chess champion Woman FIDE Master (WFM) Sasha Mongeli finishing second and reigning Kenya Open woman champion Triza Mwendwa coming third to complete a clean sweep.
In the U1700 Women category, the top seed Olympian and pre-tournament favourite, Jully Mutisya of Kenya led throughout the tournament distance and triumphed with a perfect score of 9/9.
In the U2000 Women section, the 2021 World Woman Amateur U1700 silver medalist WCM Joyce Ndirangu was second with 5 points behind the winner Linda Shaba of Zimbabwe, who was unbeaten with eighth points. Linda missed the first round due to flight challenges.
In the open section, FM Haruna Nsubuga dominated the U2300 category and won Uganda’s only gold medal in the tournament. Panchol Madol swept the competition aside in the U2000 section, winning the tournament with a round to spare and completing the event undefeated. CM Aguda Lwanga won the U1700 open section scoring 7/9 to bring the third gold medal to host Kenya.
U1700 Women
1. Mutisya Jully (1460, KEN) – 9
2. Mugide Safinah (1398, UGA) – 8
3. Elizabeth Cassidy Maina (1209, KEN) – 6
U1700 Open
1. Lwanga Aguda (1575, KEN) – 7
2. Mayen Deng Ador (SSD) – 7
3. Mahad Dahir Muhumad (1695, SOM) – 6½
U2000 Women
1. Shaba Linda Dalitso (1711, ZIM) – 8 0
2. Ndirangu Joyce Nyaruai (1679, KEN) – 5
3. Mwale Naomi (1559, ZAM) – 5
U2000 Open
1. Panchol James Madol (1937, SSD) – 7½
2. Islam Sh.Nour Kassim (1878, SOM) – 6½
3. Kizza Faruk Fauza Karim (1906, UGA) – 6½
U2300 Women
1. Madelta, Glenda (1565, KEN) – 7 0
2. WFM Mongeli Sasha (1726, KEN) – 5½
3. Mwendwa Triza (1466, KEN) – 5
U2300 Open
1. FM Nsubuga Haruna (2146, UGA) – 7½
2. Musasizi Emmanuel (1985, UGA) – 6½
3. Tagelsir Abubaker (2231, SUD) – 6
The winners in each category qualified for the 2023 World Amateur Chess Championships with full board accommodation.
Full tournament details and complete results in all categories can be found here.
Text: Benard Wanjala
Photo: Chess Kenya
