A 14-year-old chess player from Crossroads, Imkhitha Joya, defied the odds when she flew to Russia to represent not only her small community but South Africa at this year’s Super Final of SCO and BRICS Chess Championship.
The international tournament was held at the Soluxe Moscow Hotel from Thursday 10 to Sunday 13 July. Participants came from the BRICS nations (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) and Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).
Imkhitha, a Grade 8 learner at Vuyiseka High School, left the country with other young South African chess players (one from the Western Cape, two from KwaZulu-Natal, one from Eastern Cape, one from North West, and one from Gauteng) on Wednesday 9 July and returned on Monday 14 July. To those who perhaps would cite the odds stacked against her Imkhitha has proved that a person’s background does not determine their future. She joined the South African team after winning the South African Junior Closed Chess Championship in April at Hottentots-Holland High in Somerset West.
Her coach Thando Hlakula said she won the u-14 Girls Championship after winning all her games in the SA Junior Closed Chess Championship. Her CHESSA rating now stands at 1 811. She became sixth overall among female players in the country.
Hlakula described Imkhitha’s participation in the tournament as a dream come true for her. He said she had qualified to represent the country before, but these prospects were scuppered by lack of funding. “This year alone she qualified to represent the country at the African Individual Chess Championships (Egypt), African School Chess Championships (Kenya) and FIDE Youth Olympiad (Colombia). She didn’t make it because she didn’t have the money to pay for all the expenses needed for the trips.”
Describing Imkhitha as a brilliant player, Hlakula dubbed the tournament as more than just an international competition. “There were many activities in between. Out of nine games Imkhitha won four and drew one. She came away with four and a half points.”
Imkhitha told City Vision she found the trip exciting. She learnt many things, including how to conduct herself as a player.
“These included how to survive when visiting a foreign country with or without support. We South Africans were so united even though we came from different provinces; we were like a family.”
Imkhitha said it was her second trip outside South Africa. In 2023 she took part in the u-12 World Cadet Championship in Egypt.
Imkhitha described her experience of Russia as great. “People in Russia are so friendly. They were asking us questions about South Africa. They asked us about various things including culture and sport.”
Imkhitha’s mother Nosiphe said she was over the moon and praised her daughter for her performance.
“I’m so excited for her. I’m happy for her even though we always have some financial challenges whenever she needs to participate in these huge tournaments.
“We struggle a lot because I’m unemployed. And she ended up not participating in some of them.
“However, she enjoys the support of her local team, including her coach; they try to be there for her, come what may.”
Nosiphe encouraged all parents to allow their children to participate in sport.
