Oshini Gunawardena clinches Bronze Medal

On Jul 6, 2021

Nine Year old Devindya Oshini Gunawardena from Ferguson Girls School Ratnapura won the Bronze medal in the Rating category less than 1500 in the FIDE Queens Chess Festival 2021, Conducted by the FIDE Women’s Commission. Oshini’s elder sister Arunodya was also a Chess player in the school.

She practiced at home and Oshini was most familiar with the Chess game. Oshini attended Grade One in Ferguson Girls School, Ratnapura in 2018. Oshini started chess under. Jagath Kotalawala Chess coach in her school in 2019. She learnt chess under Rasika Samaranayake in a short time. From 2020 onwards she is under current coach CM Akila Kavinda. Oshini is studying in Grade 4 this year.

Oshini was joint 3rd at the under 7 girls category at 4th SSC Open International Chess Championship in 2019. She emerged champion of under 7 girls category at 10th Kandy Open International Rated Blitz Chess

Championship in 2019. She was joint champion of under 7 girls category at 10 th Buddhi Open International Chess Championship in 2019. She emerged Champion of under 7 girls category at 10th Kandy Open International Chess Festival in 2019.

She emerged champion of under 7 girls category at 11th Ethugalpura International Chess Challenge in 2019. Oshini emerged champion of under 7 girl’s age category Classical event in the Sri Lanka National Youth Girls Chess Championship in 2019.

Oshini was placed 2nd runner’s up in the Group X, at the Inaugural Sri Lanka Youth Girls (Under 14) Grand Prix in 2020. She was Champion of under 8 Girls category at National Youth Rapid Chess Championship in 2020. She emerged Champion of under 10 age group category at 11th Sharjah International Online Blitz event.

Oshini was placed 13th at CFSL Online Under 14 Open Youth Rapid Chess Championship in 2021. She was a member of Sri Lanka Team “C” at Asian Nations Cup Online Under 14 girls section Chess Championship in 2021. She was placed 14th at CFSL Online Under 14 Girls Youth Rapid Chess

Championship in 2021. Oshini was first runner up of under 10 Girls category at Sri Lanka Online Chess Championship in 2021. She was the first runner up in Group ‘D’ of Asian Qualifier event for FIDE Online Queen’s Chess Festival in 2021.

Oshini was second runner up in Group ‘D’ of FIDE Online Queen’s Chess Festival Finals in 2021, which was conducted by the FIDE Women’s Commission. Oshini was the youngest player of this tournament.

Oshini’s progress of International Chess Rating Initial rating is 1288, achieved in August 2020. She increased it even playing some difficult tournaments as an example Under 14 Grand Prix open tournament in Sri Lanka.

In that event she played against the boys who are under 14 and increased 50 rating and beat the Champion too. The current International Rating is 1373. The No eighth player in the world from 2012 born girls and the 3rd in Asian rank. (YK)