Team Nigeria made a historic start to the 46th FIDE World Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, as the men and women’s teams recorded commanding 4-0 victories in Round 1.
The men’s team swept aside New Caledonia, with Bomo Kigigha, Abdulrahman Abdulraheem, IM Odion Aikhoje and 15-year-old Odey Goodness Ekunke all securing victories.
The Women’s team matched that performance against Mali, with Deborah Quickpen, Michelle Nwankwo, Sandra Omoruyi and Bridget Michael completing another 4-0 scoreline.
The result gave Nigeria eight wins across eight boards in the opening round, a rare combined clean sweep by the country’s Open and Women’s teams at an Olympiad.
The performance also featured a blend of experience and emerging talent. Kigigha brought extensive Olympiad experience, while 15-year-old Ekunke made his Olympiad debut in the Open team.
IM Odion Aikhoje, who won an individual gold medal on Board 2 at the 1998 Olympiad in Elista, also opened his Samarkand campaign with a victory.
Nigeria is represented in Samarkand by 10 players across the Open and Women’s teams, with five players selected in each section.
The Olympiad continues through September 27th, with both Nigerian teams now looking to build on their strong opening performance across the remaining rounds.
