CHESS NEWS - Last week, five Holy Cross chess players participated in the Fide ISCF World Schools Team Championship 2026 - African Continental Stage in Stellenbosch. They represented their school as well as South Africa.
Under the calm leadership, guidance and encouragement of their coaches, they achieved an amazing fourth place in Africa. A total of 26 African countries participated.
Not only were the battles on the chessboards fierce, but the players had the opportunity to meet some talented youngsters from across the continent.
St Miriam Duggan School (Uganda) placed first, Moi Nyeri Complex (Kenya) second, and Welgemoed Primary School (South Africa) third.
Two of the Holy Cross players also achieved individual best player awards: Cullen Ahrense won first place on board 2 and JK Mpuru got second place for reserve.
The tournament was superbly organised under international standards. It kicked off with an emotional opening ceremony and ended with a closing ceremony of note.
Beyond the results, this championship was an unforgettable and uplifting experience. It showed that language needn't be a barrier to understanding each other, but bridges could be built across chessboards worldwide.
The team would like to thank everyone who supported them.
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