The Uzbek chess player Khumoyun Begmuratov won the World Junior Rapid Chess Championship, which is held under the auspices of FIDE. The tournament is taking place in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates.
The Uzbekistan team also secured two silver medals: Umida Omonova placed second in the women's rapid tournament, and Afruza Khamdamova received silver in the women's blitz tournament. The results were officially announced by the International Chess Federation (FIDE) and the Chess Federation of Uzbekistan.
Begmuratov did not lose any of the nine rounds of the open rapid tournament, scoring 7.5 points from six wins and three draws. Pranav V. from India won silver in this tournament, while Raad Samadov from Azerbaijan took bronze; both players scored seven points, and their final positions were determined by tie-break criteria.
In the women's rapid tournament, Elin Roberts from the Netherlands won the world championship title, scoring seven points out of nine. Umida Omonova and Marina Kuznetsova, competing under the FIDE flag, scored 6.5 points each. Omonova became the silver medalist based on tie-break results, while Kuznetsova finished in third place.
The blitz tournament consisted of 13 rounds. Afruza Khamdamova scored 9.5 points, placing second in the women's competition. The Chess Federation of Uzbekistan called this medal another international achievement for the athlete. Umida Omonova finished sixth with 8.5 points, and Nilufarxon Imomkuziyeva scored seven points.
In the open blitz tournament, Khumoyun Begmuratov and Muhammadzohid Suyarov scored nine points each, taking eighth and ninth place, respectively. Muzaffarjon Abdurasulov scored seven points, and Usmonhon Tokhirjonov finished with 6.5 points.
The World Junior Rapid and Blitz Championships are being held in Al Ain from November 1 to 7. A total of 185 chess players from 40 countries are participating, competing for four world titles.
The tournament was organized by the Al Ain Chess and Intellectual Games Club in cooperation with the UAE Chess Federation, with support from FIDE and patronage from Sheikh Nahyan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Zayed Foundation for Good and Abu Dhabi Sports Council. Sultan bin Saif Al Neyadi, the UAE Minister of Youth Affairs, made the ceremonial first move in the ninth and final round of the rapid tournament.
He also presented awards to the winners at a ceremony held at the Danat Al Ain resort. To mark Al Ain's designation as the Capital of Arab Tourism in 2026, the organizers also honored leading Arab chess players. Awards were presented to Abdelrahman Sameh Mohamed from Egypt and Raad Essa Alserkal from the UAE.
