India concluded the 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad in Samarkand with a stellar performance, securing medals in both the men’s and women’s competitions. The men’s team proudly brought home a silver medal, while the women’s team earned a bronze on Sunday. With these results, India distinguished itself as the only country to finish on the podium in both the Open and Women’s sections at this year’s Olympiad.
Entering the event as defending champions after their impressive double gold showing in Budapest in 2024, the Indian men’s team completed the tournament in second place, just behind Uzbekistan, the host nation. They entered the final round holding the second position, having delivered a strong performance earlier by winning 3.5-0.5 against Uzbekistan-2 in Round 10, with notable victories from D Gukesh, R Praggnanandhaa, and Nihal Sarin.
In their final match, India faced Hungary while Uzbekistan went head-to-head with Ukraine for the gold medal. India secured the silver by drawing their last game, while Uzbekistan claimed gold on their home turf. Arjun Erigaisi played a crucial role in this key final round, securing a victory that kept India ahead of their competitors.
This silver medal marked a successful Olympiad for the Indian team, which included world champion D Gukesh, Praggnanandhaa, Arjun, and Nihal. Gukesh particularly shined in the latter half of the tournament, winning his seventh game in Round 10 and achieving a total of 8.5 points from 10 games.
### HOW INDIA’S WOMEN ACHIEVED BRONZE
The Indian women’s team had a tougher journey but managed to reclaim their place among the medal contenders. They began the tournament on a strong note, but faced a setback with their first loss against Poland in Round 5, a team that had also beaten India in the previous two Olympiads.
Despite this challenge, the Indian women regrouped and stayed in contention for medals as the tournament advanced. In Round 10, they faced the leading team, China, resulting in an even 2-2 draw. B Savitha Shri played a vital role once again, scoring another crucial win against Zhai Mo, marking her eighth victory of the tournament with a total of 8.5 points from nine games. Meanwhile, Koneru Humpy and Divya Deshmukh managed draws, but Vantika Agrawal lost her match against Lu Miaoyi.
In the final round, Savitha continued her exceptional performance, drawing with Meri Arabidze and ending the tournament with nine points from ten games. Her achievements were instrumental in helping India secure the bronze medal, while China took home the gold.
India’s success in both sections also enabled them to retain the Nona Gaprindashvili Trophy, awarded to the top overall federation in the Open and Women’s sections. This marks India’s third consecutive win of the trophy, having clinched it in 2022 and 2024 as well.
