Chess sensation, Woman FIDE Master (WFM) Naledi Marape has been awarded a provisional Woman International Master (WIM) title after her exploits at the just-ended 15th Africa Youth Chess Championships held in South Africa (SA).
Marape won a gold medal to be crowned the Under-18 girls' champion. The team won four medals to finish in position three overall, with Egypt ending the competition top ahead of hosts, SA. Botswana Chess Federation (BCF) spokesperson, Goitseone Makgatle said she was impressed with the performance of the team, although they did not achieve the set medal target of five. BCF had sent a team of 14 players to the championships. “When we left for the competition, we had a target. Unfortunately, we did not achieve it as our medal target diminished in the last round when Thuto Mpene lost to Tunisia’s Abdallah Mohammed Khalil,” she said.
Makgatle said Marape's win means the player has punched her ticket to the 2025 World Youth Chess Championships. She explained that Marape is on her way to becoming the highest-rated woman player in Botswana. For her part, Marape said being awarded the provisional WIM title means a lot. “I have been working hard for this and I am on my way to achieving my dream. I should reach 2000 ELO ratings and at the moment I am at 1920. I believe I will be able to receive the WIM title before the end of the year. I have already achieved all three required norms,” she said. Marape will depart for Webster University in the United States at the end of July after receiving the Botswana National Sport Commission (BNSC) Elite Scholarship last year. Botswana got other medals from Maya Otimile who won silver in the Under-14 girls category, Eeisha Reddy Nalamalpu who got bronze in the same section, while Saishanvi Eesha Nalamalpu also won bronze in the Under-8 girls.
