Clement Chomu Miheso wins PWD National Championship
Clement Chomu Miheso won the 2nd edition of the Kenya National Chess Championship PWD. He obtained 6 points out of the six rounds in an event held at the Luke Hotel, Nairobi.
The reigning Champion, Saddam Ali, was second with 5 points while Eric Khamandi was third with the same points but lower tie-break.
The event held on the 16th of January 2022 had just over 80 participants in the Open (28 players), Ladies (15 players), Girls (10 players) and Boy (32 players) section.
Mercy Cherono, on the other hand, won the Ladies section with a perfect score of 6 points from six rounds. Charles Kilunguya won the Boys section, while Dorcus Mutua won the Girls section.
The majority of the Girls and Boys section participants came from Joytown Secondary School near Thika town. It is a coeducational institution for learners with physical disabilities.
The top four players from the Open and the Ladies section will now represent Kenya in international events.
Open Section
1. Clement Miheso
2. Sadam Ali Sheikh
3. Eric Khamadi
4. Wambalo Wong
Ladies Section
1. Mercy Cherono
2. Mary Nduku
3. Margaret Kanyua
4. Mary Muthochi
Wycliffe Ndiki made history by becoming the first visually impaired player to take part in the Kenya National Championship.
The first time Kenyans saw a visually handicapped player in action was when Aditya Shah took part in a simultaneous against GM Maurice Ashley at the Nairobi Gymkhana Club.
Kenya has taken tremendous strides towards inclusivity by hosting the 2nd edition of the Kenya National Chess Championship PWD. South Africa is the only African nation that hosts these kinds of events.
Bolo Ronald was the Chief Arbiter of the event.
FIDE an inclusive federation
FIDE currently allows three federations to take part in the bi-annual chess Olympiads. These include players from the International Braille Chess Association (IBCA), the International Chess Committee of the Deaf (ICCD) and the International Physically Disabled Chess Association (IPCA).
Facts about Clement Miheso
Clement Chomu Miheso is affectionately known as ‘Champ‘ due to his string of tournament victories his heydays. He served as Chairman for Kenya Chess Association for several years until mid-1993.
He has represented Kenya at the Chess Olympiad’s 1982, 1984, 1986, 1988, and 1990 editions.
Clement Miheso has also represented Kenya at the 2015 edition of the World Chess Championship for the Disabled.
Photo credits
Winnie Thitu & Rhoda Olisa.
Links
2021 Kenya National PWD Chess Championship on chess-results.com.
Sadam Ali Sheikh crowned 2019 Kenyan National Chess Champion PWD.
Clement Miheso in action during the World Chess Championship .
