THE Philippine U-11 Girls Chess Team earned a bronze medal in the rapid event at the 18th Asian Schools Chess Championships held in Bangkok, Thailand, from December 1 to 11, 2024.
The team, consisting of WNM Millery Gen Subia from Cabanatuan City, Mary Janelle Tan from Cagayan De Oro City, and Elle Castronuevo from the City of Cavite, finished behind the powerhouse teams of China and India, who claimed the gold and silver medals, respectively.
Over 40 countries participated in the prestigious tournament, making the competition intense. The Philippine team triumphed over several strong contenders, including teams from Mongolia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, and Japan.
Team captain WNM Millery Gen Subia, an elementary student at Wesleyan University Philippines, expressed pride in the team's achievement. “We are fortunate to win the bronze because it is not easy to win in this international tournament. Many of our competitors are much stronger and have won in world chess cadet and age-group competitions,” she said.
The team also expressed their gratitude for the support they received from parents, relatives, teachers, classmates, sponsors, local government units (LGUs), schools, the National Chess Federation of the Philippines, and the Philippine Sports Commission, whose collective efforts were key to their success at the championships. Marlon Bernardino/PR
