THE Zimbabwe Chess Federation (ZCF) has named a seven-member squad for the Third FIDE Chess Olympiad for People Living with Disabilities set for Samarkand, Uzbekistan from September 10 to 18.
Captain Tapiwa Gora will lead the team that also includes Tichaona Machona, Tapiwa Mvududu, Presence Murove and Shantel Gweshe. ZCF vice presidents David Mutenure and Elvis Shora will serve as officials on the trip.
ZCF president Todd Mapingire said the selection prioritised form, experience and commitment to development ahead of the global event.
“We congratulate the players and officials selected to fly the national flag. This team represents the depth we are building in disability chess," Mapingire told NewsDay Sport.
"Our mandate is to compete with determination, uphold sportsmanship and ensure Zimbabwe is represented with distinction.”
The federation faces a challenge to match last year’s individual result after the omission of Prince Musokeri, who won Zimbabwe’s only medal at the 2024 edition in Astana, Kazakhstan. Musokeri took bronze on Board Four with five wins from six games as Zimbabwe finished 31st out of 34 teams.
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Murove returns after scoring 50% on Board Four in Astana, finishing 16th in his section.
“Presence’s consistency earned him a recall. We are not just going to participate. We are going to improve on our overall team performance and learn from the best players in the world,” Mapingire added.
More than 30 nations are expected in Samarkand. The Olympiad is staged by FIDE to promote inclusion and provide a competitive platform for players living with disabilities.
Zimbabwe’s team departs next month and will hold a final training camp in Harare before leaving.
“Tournaments like this are about more than results. They show that chess is for everyone. We want our players to gain experience, raise standards at home, and inspire more people living with disabilities to take up the sport,” said Mapingire.