BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 27. 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.
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 Türkiye’s Tuana
Abak. Finishing with an impressive 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 a stellar 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.
