NATIONAL JUNIOR CHESS PLAYER WINS PMX CUP AT 23RD ASEAN AGE GROUP C'SHIPS
GEORGE TOWN, July 8 (Bernama) -- National youth chess player Shen Ree Herng was announced as the recipient of the PMX Cup for "Best Overall Performance By A Malaysian" at the 23rd ASEAN+ Age Group Chess Championships, which took place here.
Shen Ree Herng, 15, a Form Three student from SMK Damansara Jaya, Petaling Jaya, Selangor, received the cup from Yang Dipertua Negeri Tun Ramli Ngah Talib during the championship's dinner and prize-giving ceremony tonight.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s daughter Nurul Nuha Anwar accompanied Ramli for the cup presentation along with the President of the Penang Chess Association, See Swee Sie.
Shen, currently ranked 22nd, said he did not expect to receive the Prime Minister's Cup as he only placed fifth out of 30 participants in the Under-16 category. However, he expressed happiness and hoped it would motivate him to work harder to win future chess championships.
"Honestly, I never expected to receive the Prime Minister's Cup at tonight's event because I only came in fifth place, with the top three participants from Vietnam and the fourth place from the Philippines.
"My next goal is to achieve the FIDE Master title and continue to participate in various international tournaments to hone my skills and strategies in chess," he told Bernama at the event held at the Che Hoon Khor Moral Uplifting Society here.
Shen, who represented Selangor in the championship, began playing chess at the age of seven and is currently training with a personal coach for guidance.
The championship, which started on July 1, gathered over 400 young chess talents from 21 countries, including ASEAN member states and dialogue partners such as the United States, China, Russia, India, South Korea, and Japan.
The tournament also offered direct titles from FIDE, providing a golden opportunity for ambitious players to advance their chess careers to a higher level.
--BERNAMA
