Asian Chess Federation president Sheikh Sultan bin Khalifah Al Nahyan (right) and Mongolian Chess Federation president His Excellency Gombojav Zandanshatar (left) award medals to the top three placers, champion GM Bardiya Daneshvar of Iran, runner-up GM Nihal Sarin of India and third placer Shamsiddin Vokhidov of Uzbekistan. The national anthem of Iran was played as its flag rose in the background.
Asian Chess Federation president Sheikh Sultan bin Khalifah Al Nahyan (right) and Mongolian Chess Federation president His Excellency Gombojav Zandanshatar (left) award medals to the top three women, champion IM Song Yuxin of China, runner-up Bat-Erdene Mungunzul of Mongolia and third placer WGM Xeniya Balabayeva of Kazakhstan. The national anthem of China was played as its flag rose in the background.
Speech of ACF President Sheikh Sultan bin Khalifah Al Nahyan:
Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,
It gives me great pleasure to welcome you to the closing ceremony of the Asian Individual Chess Championship for men and women, held here in Al Ain – the capital of Asian chess – from May 6 to May 15, 2025.
This edition brought together 600 players from 38 countries — a new record in both number of participants and countries represented.
We witnessed remarkable games and inspiring sportsmanship, a true reflection of the growing strength of Asian chess.
I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to all those who contributed to the success of this prestigious event — organizing committees, technical teams, administrative staff, and volunteers.
Congratulations to all the winners and those who qualified for the FIDE World Cup. We wish you all the best as ambassadors of Asia on the world stage.
I am also pleased to extend special congratulations to the countries that claimed gold medals in this edition of the championship:
The Russian Federation and the Republic of Kazakhstan in the Blitz Chess Championship,
and the Islamic Republic of Iran and the People’s Republic of China in the Classical Asian Chess Championship.
These nations showcased outstanding performance and have proudly represented the spirit of chess in Asia and beyond.
Dear friends,
In this regard, I am pleased to announce that the Asian Chess Federation has decided to award the hosting rights of the next edition of the Asian Individual Chess Championship – Masters Section to Mongolia, in recognition of its ongoing efforts in promoting chess and our full confidence in its ability to deliver an exceptional event worthy of this prestigious continental championship.
On this special day, May 15, 2025, I am also delighted to announce the signing of an agreement between the Al Ain Chess and Mind Games Club and the International Chess Federation (FIDE) to launch the FIDE Al Ain ACMG Academy.
I now ask the team to display the official logo of the Academy.
Through this global academy, we aim to elevate the game of chess worldwide, nurture talents from across all continents, and provide world-class training under the guidance of top international coaches, following best practices and global standards. Our services will be delivered in ten languages.
Thank you once again for being with us today. We look forward to seeing you again at our future events