Tanzania’s women’s chess team capped its campaign at the 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, with a silver medal in Group E after defeating Pakistan 2½-1½ in the final round.
The result marked a strong finish for the Tanzanian side, which entered the tournament ranked 161st but climbed to about 109th, gaining more than 50 places in the overall standings.
Neema Adam Kasanga and Bertha Samson Mkude secured victories for Tanzania in the decisive encounter, while Woman Candidate Master (WCM) Anahi Rishit Shah drew her game.
Chess Tanzania (TACA) Information and Communications Officer Mussa Mangula said the performance demonstrated the growing competitiveness of Tanzanian players on the international stage.
The tournament also produced individual milestones, with Mkude earning the Woman Candidate Master title.
“Beyond the medal, our players also achieved individual milestones, with Bertha Samson Mkude earning the Woman Candidate Master (WCM) title,” Mangula said.
In Group E, Maldives claimed gold, Tanzania took silver and Cambodia finished with bronze.
Tanzania’s Open team also ended its campaign on a positive note, drawing 2-2 with Côte d’Ivoire in the final round to move from 177th to 166th place.
The team was captained by Kilasa Misambo and featured Parsa Nassar, Henry Michael Marwa, Farqad Abeid, Patrick Sarota and Rashid Sharif.
Nassar and Sharif earned Candidate Master (CM) titles during the competition, adding to Tanzania’s list of individual achievements.
The women’s team was captained by Mangula and included Kasanga, Lissa Joseph Siya, Shah, Mkude and Maryam Mugwahi.
In the overall women’s competition, China won the title and the Vera Menchik Cup after beating Vietnam 3-1 in the final round. Kazakhstan took silver, while India claimed bronze.
Hosts Uzbekistan won the overall Open title and the Hamilton-Russell Cup after defeating Ukraine 2½-1½. India finished second and Germany third.
The results give Tanzania a notable platform to build on as the country seeks to strengthen its presence in international chess.