Kazakh juniors win 10 gold medals at World Chess Championship

Record-breaking performance by young Kazakh players includes clean sweep by 8-year-old prodigy Alisha Bisaliyeva

ASTANA, Kazakhstan (MNTV) — Young chess players from Kazakhstan won a record 10 gold and 4 bronze medals at the World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championship for juniors, held on the Greek island of Rhodes.

The event, organized by FIDE, brought together 433 players aged 8 to 18 from 49 countries. Kazakhstan’s delegation of 22 players saw nine medalists — marking the country’s most successful showing to date.

According to the Kazakhstan Chess Federation, six players emerged as champions in their respective age groups. Alisha Bisaliyeva, Amirzhan Anetov, Yergali Suleimen, and Elnaz Kaliahmet won gold in both rapid and blitz categories. Adinur Adilbek and Ayaru Altynbek claimed gold in rapid chess.

According to the national portal Adyrna, Kazakhstan had previously averaged only two to three gold medals at this tournament in past years, making this year’s haul an unprecedented achievement.

The standout of the championship was 8-year-old Alisha Bisaliyeva from Astana, who won all 22 of her games across both formats — a flawless performance that drew international attention.

“Our young chess players have exceeded all expectations! We are proud of this new generation, consistently proving themselves at every international tournament. Systematic training and faith in youth — that’s the path to success,” said Timur Turlov, President of the Kazakhstan Chess Federation.

Bronze medals were earned by Zhansaya Sholpanbek in both formats, and by Suleiman Nurakyn and Daniyal Sapenov in blitz.

The championship featured six age categories with separate events for boys and girls. Rapid games were played with a 15-minute clock and 5-second increment per move, while blitz used a “5+3” time control across 11 rounds under the Swiss system.