India Dominates 45th FIDE Olympiad: Wins Gold in Both Open and Women’s Events

The 45th FIDE Olympiad concluded with a bang as India emerged victorious in both the Open and Women’s events, with the Americans securing silver in the Open and bronze in the Women’s. The Women’s team’s first medal in 16 years was highlighted by IM Carissa Yip’s impressive 10/11 performance on board two, earning her individual gold, while IM Alice Lee clinched individual silver for her 8/10 score on board four.

In the Open, GM Levon Aronian secured a silver medal for his undefeated 8/10 performance on board four. Team USA’s final round games against Kazakhstan were filled with excitement, but ultimately Kazakhstan edged out the Americans by a half-point, leaving USA with the bronze.

The Indian teams dominated the event, with GMs Arjun Erigaisi and Gukesh D. now ranked third and fifth in the world, respectively. Gukesh and Erigaisi both won individual gold medals for their stellar performances. In the Women’s event, Indian IMs Divya Deshmukh and Vantika Agrawal also earned individual gold medals for their outstanding performances on boards three and four.

The tournament also saw players of all ages, from 11 to 84, showcasing their skills on the chessboard. The 46th FIDE Olympiad is set to take place in Tashkent, Uzbekistan in 2026.