OlympAfrica Hosts Chess Competition For Schools In PH

OlympAfrica University of Port Harcourt Centre, Rivers State, last Thursday organised a Chess Competition for primary, junior and senior Schools in the State.  
Speaking at the event, the Director of OlympAfrica UNIPORT centre, in Nigeria, Dr ChukwuemekaAgi, revealed that winners of this competition will represent Nigeria in Dakar, Senegal, Headquarters of OlympAfrica in Africa, early next year.
Dr Agi, said this while attending to questions from sports journalists, shortly after the event at UNIPORT sports institute.  
The competition was attended by 15 Schools including sporting academies; it was a highly competitive competition, where new talents have been discovered. 
He explained that the preliminaries of the competition were played a month ago and players that participated in the competition are the best from each of the schools.
“We started this competition a month ago trying to get the best from schools, so the students participating in this competition are the best from each of the schools,” Dr Agi said. 
According to him, talents discovered in the event would be groomed to stardom, adding that the future of chess in the state is bright.   
“Looking at the quality of play I must say that I am impressed, in fact who is who in chess at their category has developed the game. 
As I speak to you, a silver medalist at the just concluded national youth games (NYG), in Illorin, Kwara State, was beaten by those who have not attended any competition,” he stated. 
In his reaction, a student of Federal Government College, Port Harcourt, Ochemba Donald, 10 years, who won in his category said he started to play chess at age of seven. 
According to him, it was his elder sister that taught him how to play chess, adding, that why he loves to play the game is because it has made him to think well fast and reasonably. 
“I started playing chess when I was seven, my elder sister taught me and I love the game because it makes me to think well, fast and reasonably. 
He equally stated that his ambition was to become future world champion of the game. 
Donald used the forum to advise students in the country to put interest in playing chess, as it would help them to think well.

By: Tonye Orabere