Filipino Christina Marcelo Olaybal turned back Indonesian Simanjuntak Morado in the ninth and final round to complete a 1-2-3 finish by Far Eastern University standouts that also included Frank Loyd Andes and Ruelle Canino in the challenger division of the 16th IGB Malaysian Chess Challenge Monday night.
Olaybal, a National Master and University Athletic Association of the Philippines Most Valuable Player from Binangonan, Rizal, took the crown after finishing with eight points, half a point ahead of pack that included the 15-year-old Canino, Andes and two more Philippine bets in Cedric Kahlel Abris and Mark James Marcellana with 7.5 points apiece.
But Andes, an Albay native, took the silver despite falling to his 15-year-old teammate and Cagayan de Oro lass Canino, who eventually claimed the bronze after tiebreaks were applied.
Abris was fourth while Marcellana fifth.
Interestingly, two more Filipinos made the top 10 — former national junior girls champion Vic Glysen Derotas (eighth) and Lemmuel Jay Adena (10th).
And it wasn’t just the triumph delivered by FEU bets as Oscar Joseph Cantela and Arleah Cassandra Sapuan reigned supreme in the Open Under-16 rapid and Girls U16 in the Merdeka Day Age Group tilt, respectively.
It was a strong finish for the team coached by Grandmaster Jayson Gonzales, who thanked FEU athletic director Mark Molina, FEU-Diliman executive director Dr. Armi Cunanan-Yabut as well as FEU chair Aurelio “Gigi” Montinola and president Juan Miguel Montinola.
“One of the most remarkable aspects of FEU’s chess program is its commitment to nurturing young talents, fostering a lifelong love for the game and instilling values such as discipline, strategic thinking, and sportsmanship,” Gonzales said.
