Sri Lanka commence campaign today

FIDE Online Chess Olympiad 2020

National number one Harshana Thilakarathne and young prodigy Susal de Silva of Nalanda College, Colombo and Gihansa Jayaweera of Dharmasoka College, Ambalangoda will team up with nine others to compete in their Division in the FIDE Online Chess Olympiad 2020 starting on Friday (7).

The World Chess Federation conducted event started on July 24 and is attended by over 160 countries. The Olympiad started with Base Division and Division IV and Sri Lanka’s players will commence action in their Division on Friday at 3.30 pm Sri Lanka time according to senior Chess Federation official Lakshman Wijesuriya.

According to the newly introduced format a team should include two male, two female, one junior boy and a girl (under 20 years). The National Selection Committee has picked 12 players. Wijesuriya who is also a vice president of the Asian Chess Federation said that the team for Friday’s events will be picked after the draw is announced.

The 12 member team consists of both experienced and youth players.

The team is captained by Maliyadeva College’s Harshana Thilakarathne, while Ransith Fernando and Rajeendra Kalugampitiya are the Coach and Manager respectively.

Team: G.M. Harshana Thilakarathne (Captain – Maliyadeva College), Isuru Alahakoon (Sri Lanka Navy), Devnethmi Dahampriya (Visakha Vidyalaya), Ashvini Pavalchandran (Wycherly International School), Susal de Silva (Nalanda College), Gihansa Jayaweera (Dharmasoka College), G.C. Anuruddha (Kandy YMCA CC), Ranindu Liyanage (Ananda College), Nethmi Fernando (Girls High School, Kandy), Sachini Ranasinghe (Nf3 Chess Club), Minul Sanjula Doluweera (Royal College) and Niklesha Tharushi

(Visakha Vidyalaya)