Pan-American Youth Championship XXXIV: American Players Dominate with 25 Medals
The Pan-American Youth Championship XXXIV held in Orlando, Florida from July 15 through 20 was a thrilling event that saw a total of 368 players from 28 federations competing across 12 sections. The tournament, hosted in partnership with the Confederation of Chess for Americas (CCA), International Chess Federation (FIDE), and Rosen Shingle Creek, showcased some incredible talent from young chess players.
American players dominated the competition, winning a total of 25 out of the 36 medals, including 11 golds. However, the lone international gold medalist was WIM Sofia Mayorga Araya from Costa Rica, who secured the top spot in the Girls Under-14 category with a commanding 8/9 score, two points ahead of her closest competitor.
The tournament featured some intense battles and impressive performances across all sections. Notable highlights included CM Eshaan Hebbar and FM Terry Luo tying for first in the Under-18 section, with Hebbar earning an IM norm for his performance. In the Girls Under-18 category, FM Ruiyang Yan clinched the gold with a 7½/9 score.
Other standout performances included IM Eric Liu’s clear first in the Under-16 section, WIM Sofia Mayorga Araya’s dominant display in the Girls Under-16 category, and FM Henry Wang’s gold medal win in the Under-14 section.
The event also saw a trio of American WCMs sweeping the podium in the Girls Under-12 section, with Sophie Li earning the WFM title for her gold medal performance. In the Under-10 and Under-8 sections, untitled American players impressed, with Vivan Mulay and Abigail Zhou winning gold medals, respectively.
Overall, the Pan-American Youth Championship XXXIV was a showcase of young talent and fierce competition. With American players shining bright and international participants making their mark, the event highlighted the future stars of the chess world. Fans can look forward to more highlights from this exciting tournament in upcoming features like Tactics Tuesday and Wednesday Workout.