
Woman Grandmaster Janelle Mae Frayna and International Master Paulo Bersamina have been nominated to represent the country to the women’s and men’s World Chess Cup this year.
Frayna, 24, will become the first Filipina to play in the Women’s World Cup set July 10 to Aug. 24 in Sochi, Russia while Bersamina will join IMs Daniel Quizon and Michael Concio, Jr. in the Men’s World Cup scheduled Aug. 1-28 in Minsk, Belarus.
Quizon and Concio, aged 16 and 15 years old, earned their berths after clawing their way to a top two finish in the Asian Zonal 3.3 Championships two weeks ago
Frayna will also represent the country in the Hanoi Southeast Asian Games in November.
And because of this, Frayna had to leave her Army training in Capas, Tarlac and got her green light with the help of Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairman William Ramirez, Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Abraham Tolentino, NCFP president Prospero Pichay, Jr. and USEC and Presidential Adviser on military affairs Lt. Gen. Arthur Tabaquero.
The NCFP also thanked Lt. Gen. Jose Faustino, Jr., Brig. Gen. Danilo Carino, Col. Harold Argamosa, Col. Nilo Vinluan, Col. John Antonio Divinagracia and Col. Dexter Macasaet.
“If not for these people, Janelle wouldn’t have the chance to train,” said NCFP chief operating officer and national women’s squad coach Grandmaster Jayson Gonzales.
Meanwhile, about 15 Filipinos headed by IM John Marvin Miciano are eyeing to clinch one of the 10 slots to Minsk in the Asian Continental Championship unfolding Friday, May 22.