Double Asian Games gold medallist Grandmaster Koneru Humpy is uncertain about her participation within the continental occasion later this yr as it’s being held within the Chinese metropolis of Hangzhou, saying she’ll make up her thoughts nearer to the showpiece occasion. Humpy was a teen when she received the ladies’s particular person and blended group gold on the 2006 Asian Games in Doha. Being one of many prime India girl chess exponents – the opposite being D. Harika – Humpy ought to be the automated option to make the India group for the Hangzhou Games scheduled to begin on September 23. But Humpy, advised PTI on the sidelines of the FIDE Women’s Grand Prix, which concluded right here on Wednesday, that she was “unhappy” that the Asian Games were happening in China.
Asked about her expectations at the Asian Games, where chess is set to return after 13 years, Humpy said, “Well I’m not sure about my participation in the Asian Games because it’s being held in China.
“Because of China, I’m not sure I’ll participate. Probably I’ll be deciding in June or July. (It’s) because of COVID, what else could be the reason to go to China,” she added.
“I really wanted to play the Asian Games. But I’m a bit unhappy that it’s being held in China. So, let me think and decide upon that,” the winner of the Women’s World Rapid Chess in 2019 added.
The Asian Games was postponed last year due to a surge in COVID-19 cases in China, this year again the country has witnessed an increase in infections.
Humpy, who was part of the women’s team that won the historic Chess Olympiad bronze at Mahabalipuram last year, added that the All India Chess Federation (AICF) should do more for women’s chess.
She categorically said there wasn’t enough encouragement for women to take up chess in the country.
“There isn’t enough encouragement for the girls (in India) — encouragement in the sense that we don’t have any special women’s events or any kind of training. We are not able to motivate them.
“I think, that’s one of the reasons (for women not taking up the sport). What I believe is, our success is completely an individual effort,” she added.
She additionally identified that demographic points had been a giant obstacle within the development of girls’s chess.
“For boys, it is easy to type teams and work collectively, however for women that’s robust as we’re positioned at totally different places. So, until somebody just like the federation (AICF) takes that initiative to assemble some ladies and practice them (it could be troublesome for women).
“I think that’s what the Chinese do; gather the talented players and training them. That’s how their supply line never dries up,” opined Humpy.
Humpy also called on the AICF to organise more tournaments and send players abroad to train so that they can hone their skills.
“The federation can host tournaments, or they’ll ship gamers overseas. They ought to kind out their (gamers’) monetary points and organise some coaching camps in order that they’ll enhance their abilities,” added Humpy, who now solely performs for the love of the sport slightly than to win laurels.
“Nowadays, I don’t target anything. I simply want to enjoy my game. I just love to play rather than aim for laurels. That’s more important for me,” said Humpy, adding that a sport like chess should also be a part of the Olympic curriculum.”
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