Randika - a Junior Chess player par excellence

Randika Nuwanthi Abeysekara, a promising chess player from Southlands College, Galle has once again emerged as the National Youth Chess Champion 2009. She bagged the Under 12 girls championship this year, where she was placed joint second in 2007, under 10 category in the same tournament. This tournament was organised by the Sri Lanka Chess Federation and concluded recently at the Royal College, Colombo.

With this achievement Randika has been selected to represent Sri Lanka in this year’s Asian Youth Chess Championship in India and World Youth Chess Championship in Turkey. In 2007 she participated in Asian Youth Chess Championship in UAE and Asian Chess Festival which was held in Sri Lanka.

Randika Abeysekara came into the limelight in 2006 when she captained the Southlands College Chess Team and won the under 10 Girls Championship in the All Island Schools Chess Tournament. Again in 2008 she captained the Southlands team and bagged the Under 12 Girls Champion Trophy in the same tournament. Randika won the second place in the Under 11 Speed Chess Tournament conducted by the Sri Lanka Chess Federation this year.

Randika has shown great potential and talent as a young chess player in her short career.

She thanked her parents and brother for encouraging her and appreciate the support given by her coach Asela Hemantha Beddegamage and the teacher in-charge of chess in Southlands College Charmaine Vithanawasam with the Principal and teachers of her school.

Randika wants to improve her skills and bring fame to her alma mater and country in future chess tournaments.

- Anuradha