Gukesh wins Chess Olympiad gold for India

India’s D Gukesh won the individual gold medal on board one at the 45th Chess Olympiad in Budapest, leading the Indian men’s team to a historic first overall gold. The 18-year-old scored 8.5 points from 10 games, finishing unbeaten in the tournament.

The Indian women’s team also won gold, their first ever, with GM Harika Dronavalli and IM Tania Sachdev leading the charge. The double gold marks India’s best performance in the biennial event.

Gukesh, who had already qualified for the World Championship match against Ding Liren later this year, will now focus on that contest. The Chess Olympiad victory is seen as a boost for Indian chess.