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Takudzwa Chitsiga Sports Reporter

ZHEMBA Jemusse and Raffiloe Madondo will represent Zimbabwe at this year’s Africa Individual Chess Championships from September 16 to 25 in Lagos, Nigeria.

The Zimbabwe Chess Federation have named a team that has reigning national champions Jemusse and Madondo, who won the Minerva Zimbabwe Open in April.

ZCF secretary-general, Todd Mapingire, said they have named the two players after they won the Zimbabwe Open and recently took part in the Olympiad in Chennai, India.

“Zimbabwe will have two representatives Jemusse and Madondo at this year’s Africa Individual Chess Championships in Lagos, Nigeria. The two are the reigning national champions and as an association we will be sending them for the tournament which brings the best African chess players together.

“The Africa Individual Chess Championships are not limited to two entries only for a nation but we are going to sponsor the duo and we still have some slots for at least eight people who will self-sponsor themselves during the course of the tournament if they so wish. Entries are still open for registration and those interested can confirm with the Federation.

“Jemusse and Madondo are experienced players who have so much exposure in international tournaments and we are hopeful they will raise the country’s flag high for us,” said Mapingire.

Jemusse is based in Namibia and at only 21 years of age, he won the Zimbabwe National Chess Championship title in 2017 and defended it in 2018 and then won it again in 2023.

He is currently the highest-ranked player in Namibia at 2158 and represented Zimbabwe at the 2018 Batumi Olympiad and the recently held 2023 Olympiad in Chennai, India.

Madondo, on the other hand, has been an integral part of the Zimbabwe national team who also took part in the Olympiad.