Yang Tianhao competes at the 4th World Xiangqi Open in Dublin, Ireland. [Photo/jinhua.com.cn]
The 2024 4th World Xiangqi Open concluded at University College Dublin in Ireland on Aug 13. The Chinese team secured a total of seven gold medals, two of which were won by players from Yiwu, a county-level city in Jinhua, Zhejiang province.
Yang Tianhao claimed the U15 men's individual championship, while Sun Xinhao won the men's team championship with his teammates.
Organized by the World Xiangqi Federation and hosted by the Ireland Xiangqi Association, the event featured 63 athletes from 17 teams representing 10 countries and regions including China, Singapore, Canada, and Germany.
Yang, born in Shangyang village in 2009, began his Chinese chess journey at the age of 5. He won the championship at the National Xiangqi Children Championships when he was only nine years old. In June this year, Yang clinched the championship in the men's U15 group at the 4th World Xiangqi Open Chinese Team Selection.
Sun, born in Qiantang village in 2000, took first place in his age group at the National Xiangqi Youth Championships when he was 10 years old. At the 2019 National Mind Sports Games, he helped the Zhejiang team secure a team gold medal.
The success of these young talents underscores Yiwu's commitment to promoting and developing Chinese chess sports. Yiwu has become a breeding ground for Xiangqi prodigies, with notable players such as Sun and Yang making their mark in the world of Chinese Chess.
