IRISH Yngayo led Davao City secondary girls chess team to win three of four gold medals at stake in the Davao Region Athletics Association (Davraa) Meet 2019 chess competition that closed at Philippine Nikkei Jin Kai International School (PNKJKIS) Wednesday, January 30.
Yngayo, 16, a Grade 9 student of the University of Mindanao (UM), emerged champion in individual standard by edging fellow four-pointers -- teammates Blanche Ellyz Bongato and Mati bet Cyhrea Ruth Atog via superior tiebreaks.
The tandem of Yngayo and Bongato also swept the standard team and blitz team golds. The latter also bagged a silver in the individual blitz event.
“Lipay jud kaayo ko, nakasyagit gani mi didto sa venue kay wala jud ko nag expect nga mudaog pa kay naa naman gud koy pildi against Tagum (I am very happy, we even shouted at the venue because I never expected to win having lost once to a Tagum player),” Yngayo told SunStar Davao Thursday. January 31.
The Toril-based player earlier downplayed her chances since she lacked proper training for the regional meet. She was also anxious about losing to younger players.
Yngayo, who placed fifth in individual blitz, competed in her seventh Davraa stint and will be seeing action in her sixth Palarong Pambansa appearance.
Meanwhile, Dabawenyos Kurt John Placencia and Wesley Jovan Magbanua clinched the secondary boys blitz chess team gold while Digos tandem of Billy Joel Sarno and John Perkins Aparici took the silver and Compostela Valley's Aldron Jhundell Defante and Randolfh Mata pocketed the bronze.
Sarno, however, annexed the secondary boys individual blitz gold by posting five points. Placencia and Magbanua scored identical four points to take the next two spots.