Baku: The final round of the World Youth Chess Championships (Under-14, U-16, and U-18) concluded today in Montesilvano, Italy, with Azerbaijani chess players delivering a spectacular double-gold performance.
According to Azerbaijan State News Agency, in the Under-14 girls’ category, Zehra Allahverdiyeva capped off a dominant tournament by officially securing the world title. Entering the final stretch at the top of the leaderboard, Allahverdiyeva drew her 11th-round match against Trkiye’s Tuana Abak. Finishing with 9 points, she successfully claimed the world championship gold medal.
Azerbaijan’s second gold came courtesy of rising star Khagan Ahmad in the Under-16 open division. The 14-year-old reigning European champion showcased brilliant, confident play throughout the tournament. In the decisive 11th round, Ahmad defeated FIDE representative Gleb Sheglov, finishing the event with 9.5 points out of 11 to capture the first World Championship title of his career.
Featuring over 750 players representing 83 countries, the prestigious tournament saw Azerbaijan take the top spot on the podium twice, ensuring the national anthem will ring out twice in Montesilvano to honor the young champions.