Namangale, CBR Tours partner in honouring chess gold medalist Chipanga
Chess Association of Malawi (Chessam) executive member, Susan Namangale, who partnered with CBR Tours and Travel in sponsoring Chiletso Chipanga’s airticket to fly in the African Amateur gold medalist that he won during the tournament that took place in Livingstone, Zambia last week, will also sponsor a cocktail in his hounor on Sunday in Blantyre.
Chiletso, won the tournament with a round to spare, booking himself a ticket to World Amateurs in Italy. He was declared champion after winning eight out of nine rounds, Chipanga has 8 out of 8, a point clear his runner-up, Leslie Chikuse of Zambia, whom he had also beaten in another round.
Following that triumph, Namangale and CBR Tours and Travel Managing Director Lisungu Chirwa, quickly decided the gold medalist should fly back instead of coming by road as he did travelling to Livingstone.
“The ticket cost MK398,000 and was contributed 60 percent by CBR Tours and Travel and 40 percent by myself,” Namangale said. “The ticket cost was higher because his flight passed through Nairobi, (Kenya) since the direct one wasn’t available at the time of booking.”
She added that the cocktail is meant for the chess fraternity to congratulate and savour Malawi chess’ proud moment.
CBR Tours and Travel’s Lisungu Chirwa said they were happy to be associated with chess and Chiletso’s achievement as they didn’t have the chance to welcome him when he landed at Kamuzu International Airport in early hours of the morning on Wednesday.
“He has put Malawi on the map and reports we are getting is that the participants and organisers of the tournament in Zambia were so impressed of his performance they thought he was a grandmaster,” she said.
Accompanying Chiletso was Malawi’s national chess arbiter Isaac Mumba who went there assistant arbiter.
Chessam publicity secretary Makhosi Nyirenda said the tournament helped Mumba to get exposed to high levels of chess officiation and earn a Fide Arbiter status. Malawi has six national arbiters, two Fide arbiter (Paul Nyirenda and Kezzie Msukwa), and one international arbiter, Gilton Mkumbwa.
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