| ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: CHESS PLAYER CRISTIAN CHIRILA(5.12.2007) |
| (2007-12-04) |
| Last updated: 2007-12-04 16:31 EET |
The Romanian chess school has recently scored a significant victory. Cristian Chirila is the new junior champion in the under 16 category. The tournament was held in Antalya, Turkey being attended by 126 players. Consequently, Radio Romania International has designated Cristian Chirila athlete of the week.
According to a statement for the Romanian Chess Federation’s website, Cristian Chirila employed bold tactics drawn by coach Mihai Ghinda. He did not hesitate to take chances and put himself in difficult situations, which he overcame successfully. This proved important, considering that any defeat could have destroyed his chances to compete for a world title. Of the 11 games played in Antalya, he won six, and five ended in a draw.
Cristian Chirila was born on January 6th 1991, into a family of chess players. His father, international chess referee Radu Catalin Chirila, is a FIDE master. Naturally, Cristian started studying chess at 6, with his father. He had one condition, however – he wanted to stay home and not go to the kindergarten he was attending at the time. His father agreed, and started to train him, and the results were not late in coming. “At 8 he was European vice-champion, and in 2005 and 2007 he was European champion at flash chess”, said his father proudly, in an interview with Cotidianul. In 2005 and 2006, in Halkidiki, Greece, Cristian Chirila won the world school age championships for the under 15.
The new world junior champion has two subscriptions, one at the Central Chess Club, in Bucharest, a club for children and young people, and with the current champion team, AEM Luxten of Timisoara. He is a tenth grader at the Emil Racovita sports High School in Bucharest.
His success in Turkey makes him one of the great prospects for Romanian chess. At the same time, it challenges him to train even further, considering that, from now on, he will be competing in a higher age category. Cristian’s aims for next year are improving his game and reaching grand master status.
(Florin Orban)
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2024-05-05
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