LINGAYEN--- Gov. Amado T. Espino, Jr hailed the chess champion kids from the recently concluded 10th Asean Age Group Chess Championship held from June 6 to 16 at Hue, Vietnam when they paid courtesy call on the governor here last Monday.

Gold Medalist Cherry Ann P. Mejia, a 14-year old 3rd year high school student of Colegio de San Juan de Letran who hails from Poblacion, San Jacinto Pangasinan together with Samantha Glo C. Revita, 9-year old and Dennis Guttierez, Jr, 8-year old, a silver and bronze medalist, respectively received commendation from the provincial officials.

Gov. Espino has even made proud of the kids’ talents when he learned that they are just “trained at home” by their guardians and parents since they started their enthusiasm for chess sports.

With already 50 medals in her cap, Mejia, who started playing chess at the age of nine, has snatched gold medal in the 9-round standard crosstable chess in the 14 years of age and below category defeating other participating countries including Vietnam, the host country.

Mejia was named as Most Valuable Player during the 2007 World Asean Age Group Chess Championship held at Danang, Vietnam, and now a member of the Federation of Chess Champions.

Meanwhile, Revita, who hails from Rosales town, has received a special commendation from the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, through a provincial resolution, by winning multiple medals in the same chess competition. She started playing chess at the age of three.

A consistent honor student from Rosales North Central School, Revita who already hauled 18 medals in various chess tournaments, placed second and third in the 7-round crosstable rapid chess and 7-round standard crosstable chess games respectively.

Both Mejia and Revita are consistent medalist in the chess event during the 2008 Palarong Pambansa, Inter-Regional Athletic Association (IRAA) and Milo Little Olympics.

The province’s youngest chess wizard Dennis Gutierrez, Jr., a grade two pupil of the Stella Maris Academy, who hails from Nibaliw in San Fabian town, also won games that made him 7th placer in the 9-rounds standard crosstable and 7-rounds rapid chess.

By bringing home the bacon for the province, Gov. Espino has pledged his continuous support to the talented kids especially in the field of sports even as he added that the youth and development program of the province would always be assisting the Pangasinan youth in honing their skills and talents.

The kids have received cash incentive from the province aside from the P25,000 each as financial assistance provided to them prior to their flight to Vietnam. (Merly R. Tibalao/PIO)