Nigeria’s Michelle Chiamaka Nwankwo has gained personal recognition from individual high marks despite her team’s shaky outing at the ongoing 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
Sports247 gathered that many observers continue praising the youngster’s personal efforts in Nigeria’s women’s team, which bounced back from a stretch of defeats to beat Lesotho in Round 8.
Thursday’s victory came alongside a win for the Nigerian men, who romped back strong against Guyana a day after they lost 3-1 to Libya in the Open section, while the women fell 2½-1½ to Suriname.
The men earlier suffered a heavy 4-0 defeat to Vietnam in Round 6, but they now have four wins and four defeats from eight rounds, heading into the competition’s last three days.
The women’s team’s victory on Thursday came after they lost 2½-1½ to Suriname and 3-1 to Austria in the previous couple of rounds, but individual plaudits still went out in favour of Nwankwo.
“Nigeria’s Michelle Chiamaka Nwankwo remains one of the team’s standout performers. The 1997-rated lass entered Round 7 with 4½ points from six games, having remained unbeaten through her first five matches before her Round 6 defeat to Austria’s Chiara Polterauer.
“The Nigerian women’s squad in Samarkand comprises Deborah Ebimobo-ere Quickpen, Iyefu Joy Onoja, Michelle Chiamaka Nwankwo, Sandra Osarugue Omoruyi and Bridget Michael.
“With three rounds now remaining, both Nigerian teams still have an opportunity to improve their positions before the Olympiad concludes on Sunday,” a report from the venue disclosed.
Sports247 gathered further that both teams will continue their efforts on Friday at the 2026 FIDE Olympiad, which features 11 rounds in both the Open and women’s sections.
