Chiamaka Michelle Nwankwo, a chess prodigy and JS1 student at Landmark College, Ikorodu, continues to prove that the college offers a truly holistic education—one that meets both academic and extracurricular needs.

She recently flew the Nigerian flag at the FIDE World Chess Cup for U8, U10, and U12, held in Batumi, Georgia, from June 22 to July 3.

As the highest-rated U12 girl in Africa, Chiamaka represented Nigeria and competed with other top U12 players from countries like the USA, India, Uzbekistan, Russia, Georgia, and Mongolia, among the 35 nations present at the tournament.

The competition was split into two intense stages.

In Stage 1, she was grouped in Pool B, battling against the best young minds from Russia, India, Mongolia, Estonia, South Africa, and Georgia.

She emerged with 4 points out of 7—securing 3 wins and 2 draws. Her opponents included Kazhamiakina Marta (Russia), Rusitashvili Tea, Alania Lilu, Ediberidze Alexandra, and Datuashvili Mariam (all from Georgia).

She only lost to Pratitee Bordoloi (India) and Enkhriikhen Nyamdorj (Mongolia). That performance earned her a 7th-place finish out of 24 in her group—an outstanding result in a global field.

In Stage 2, she went head-to-head in a round-robin match against Russia’s Mukhorina Mariya Dm, defeating her 2-0 playing both white and black. It was a thrilling nine days of fierce mental competition, calculation, and strategy.

At the end of the tournament, Chiamaka ranked 13th out of 48 globally in the U12 girls category—a remarkable achievement.

As FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich rightly said, the event was a resounding success, thanks to the dedication of the players, the unwavering support of their parents, and the commitment of their coaches. Indeed, Landmark College and the Nigerian chess community have every reason to be proud.

...marked for excellence!