Three Gold Medals For Sasikiran
By Arvind Aaron

Indians took the lion's share of the medals in the chess competitions which formed part of the 2nd Asian Indoor Games that concluded at Macau on November 3. Overall, in the nine sections, Indians won five gold, two silver and one bronze. They did not make the podium only in men's classical individual section.

Our star Krishnan Sasikiran of ONGC, Chennai made most from the event taking three gold medals followed by Koneru Humpy and Dronavalli Harika who took two each. Sasikiran called the AICF Press Officer Arvind Aaron by mistake from his mobile and said he won three gold medals and he would be returning to India on November 5.

India Slips To Silver In Blitz Team

After defeating main rivals China in the Blitz Team Championship, India lost unexpectedly to Kazakhstan in round six and then again to Malaysia in the final round to win the silver medal in the concluding day of the 2nd Asian Indoor Games being played at Macau on Nov 3. The gold went to China and the bronze to Kazakhstan.

Earlier, in the individual Blitz Championship, Krishnan Sasikiran won the title and gold with 6.5/9 after tying with Murtas Kazhgalyev of Kazakhstan and beating him. Bronze went to Bu Xiangzhi of China 6.

Koneru Humpy won the Blitz for women with 7.5/9 after she too tied for first place with Zhu Chen of Qatar. Phan Bich Ngoc of Vietnam finished third with six points.

Details of the eight medals won by Indians: Gold: India (Team, Rapid), Harika (Rapid, Individual, Women), Sasikiran (Rapid, Individual), Sasikiran (Blitz, Individual), Humpy (Blitz, Individual). Silver: India (Team, Classical), India (Team, Blitz). Bronze: Harika (Women, Classical, Individual