29-Oct-2008 121
Orissa prodigy Padmini Rout won the under-14 girls` gold medal in the World Youth Chess Championship being held at Vung Tau in Vietnam today.
Top seed Padmini clinched the title with one round to go. She beat Georgia`s Jalabadze Natia in the 10th and penultimate round to take her points tally to 9.5. Woman International Master (WIM) Padmini is now ahead of second placed Arabidze Meri (Georgia) by 1.5 points.
This is Padmini`s first world and fourth international title. She earlier won the Asian under-12 girls` title twice and Asian under-14 girls` title once.
The World Youth Championship, featuring competition in six different age categories (under 8, 10, 12, 14, 16 and 18 years) in open and girls` sections will conclude tomorrow. India has established its supremacy in the 11-round championship by bagging six out of a total of 36 medals. The six medals include five gold and one bronze.
Padmini won nine games and drew the sixth game against Moldova`s Baciu Diana. Her first eight victories came against Fransson Angelina (Sweden), WGM Mona Khaled (Egypt), WFM Hakimifard Ghazal (Iran), WFM Samigullina Diana (Russia), WFM Arabidze Meri (Georgia), Chamacho Chardine Cheradee (Philippines), Mohana Priya (India), WFM Nguyen Thi Mai Hung (Vietnam).
In the inconsequential last round, Padmini will meet Schut Lisa of the Netherlands.
