Russian coach returns to drill chess team

Calistus Kolantsho | Tuesday July 15, 2014 11:51

He will prepare the team for the 2014 Chess Olympiad to be held in Tromso, Norway next month. Glek was first put in charge of the national team in 2012.

BCF spokesperson, Keenese Katisenge said the coach was expected in the country yesterday. She described Glek as an experienced coach.  The men’s team comprises of experienced players, Phemelo Khetho, Ignatious Njobvu, Barileng Gaealafshwe, Thato Olebile and Moakofhi Notha.

Boikhutso Modongo, Tshepiso Lopang, Kgalalelo Bothole, Onkemetse Francis and Thapelo Francis are the women that will represent the country in the Olympiad.

Botswana played well in the last Olympiad in Turkey in 2012 where Njobvu became a FIDE Master while Onkemetse got her Woman Candidate Master title.

Meanwhile, the BCF hosted the finals of the Morongwa Security Junior Schools Individual Chess Championships over the weekend at St Joseph’s College. Susan Sethebe and Sonny Mbaki from Goldmine Junior Secondary School in Francistown were crowned champions of the junior boys and girls sections respectively after garnering 6.5 points each. Second position in the junior boys category went to Oratile Kgotlane from Ramotswa JSS while Phillimon Mongata from Tsodilo JSS was third. In the girls’ category, Katlego Makhandela of Mosetlha JSS came second ahead of Chawana Casino from Nkange JSS. Katisenge said for the first time, BCF introduced a primary schools’ section where Marapa Marape Junior from Baobab emerged as the boys’ champion while Onneetse Rankwane from Our Lady of the Desert won the girls title.

She said the top 10 players from each section qualified for the senior individual chess championships finals to be held in Gaborone next month. She stated that the federation used the competition to determine players’ training needs ahead of a coaching clinic in November.

The tournament started in February and attracted 120 young chess players from across the country.