10-year-old Ukrainian boy becomes rapid chess world champion

A 10-year-old Oleksii Nakonechny from Truskavets, Ukraine, won the World Rapid Chess Championship in Albania.

The Lviv Regional Chess Federation reported this.

Oleksii won rapid chess among participants under ten years of age, scoring 9 points out of 11 possible.

The young winner was trained by coach Andrii Zazuliak and the boy's father, Ihor Nakonechny. His mother, Olena Ponomaryova, also accompanied him to the competition.

Another participant from the Lviv region, Lukian Huzela, won silver in the under-8 age category and finished with a score of 9.5 out of 11 points.

The boy was trained by coaches of the Lviv Chess Academy, Nazar Firman and Bohdan Lozynskyi.

Oleksii's father, Ihor Nakonechny, told "UP. Life" that his son is a talented chess player who has achieved many accomplishments, including:

• being a two-time champion of Ukraine in classical and lightning chess;
• being a vice-champion of Ukraine in rapid chess;
• winning the European Rapid Chess championship as part of a team;
• being a vice-champion of Europe in lightning chess;
• and most recently, becoming the world champion in rapid chess.

At a young age, Oleksii participated in numerous competitions in Ukraine and abroad, was the European Youth Chess League of Nations champion, etc.

The boy has already received special congratulations for his new "gold," specifically from the Truskavets City Council.

"Oleksii is a talented and successful player. He has many successful performances at the All-Ukrainian and European championships.

Today, the boy completed his rapid sports career with the World Cadet Rapid & Blitz Championships 2024 – Rapid Open 10 championship.

From the whole community, we congratulate the young chess player on his triumphant victory! He raised the Ukrainian flag on the pedestal and glorified his hometown – Truskavets to the whole world!" the city authorities congratulated Oleksii.

For reference:

It should be noted that a Nigerian individual set the world record by playing chess continuously for 60 hours.

It was also reported that 16-year-old Diana Bourdain from the Chernivtsi region became the Ukrainian record holder in the nomination "The youngest Ukrainian woman who confirmed her knowledge of the English language at the C-1 Academic level".