Cairo: The Angolan chess player Lutero Santos achieved a commendable third-place finish at the African Junior Championship, a prestigious event for both genders, which recently concluded in Egypt. The championship, played using the Swiss system, saw the participation of 30 chess players representing 13 different countries. According to Angola Press News Agency, Lutero Santos, a member of the "Gigas" chess group, secured his position by amassing 6.5 points through a series of 5 wins, 3 draws, and only 1 defeat. In the men's category, Angola was also represented by FM Domingos Júnior, who finished in 5th place, and Jaime Sonhy, who secured the 6th position. The gold medal in this category was claimed by Egypt's Hamed Wafa with 8 points, while his compatriot Samir David narrowly surpassed Santos by sharing the same points of 6.5. The Angolan national team was led by MI David Silva, a titleholder since 2014, and included the participation of female players FM Jemima Paulo, who finished 7th with 5 points, and Fe lícia Felicidade, who ended in 8th place with 4.5 points. In the female class, Algerian Candidate Master (CM) Chahrazed Djerroud emerged as the champion, also accumulating 6.5 points. She was closely followed by Egyptian MI Alegria Cigano and Dema Alá, both with 6.5 points, in a competitive field of 14 athletes. The African Junior Championship featured talented young chess players from across the continent, with representatives from countries including Angola, Egypt, Algeria, Gambia, Equatorial Guinea, Kenya, Libya, Nigeria, South Africa, Senegal, Sudan, Tunisia, and Uganda. Angola has a rich history in this competition, with previous victories from players like Adérito Pedro, Erikson Soares, David Silva, Esperança Caxita, Maria Domingos, and Luzia Pires.
