Olzhas Bektenov participates in torch relay in honor of the 100th anniversary of FIDE International Chess Federation and the 45th Olympiad
By order of the Head of State, Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Olzhas Bektenov together with the President of the International Chess Federation FIDE Arkady Dvorkovich took part in the torch relay dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Federation and the 45th World Chess Olympiad.
The Olympic flame arrived in Kazakhstan from Paris - the birthplace of FIDE, where on July 20, World Chess Day, the anniversary of the organization was solemnly celebrated and the XXXIII Summer Olympic Games are currently being held.
Prime Minister greeted the best grandmasters of the planet - the current champions of the chess world, congratulated all participants and guests on the anniversary and wished success in the upcoming FIDE World Team Rapid and Blitz Championships.
"Today, chess is an intellectual sport that has conquered the whole world. The International Chess Federation with a century-long history has united more than 200 countries of the world at the chessboard. Today more than 200 thousand Kazakhstanis are already engaged in chess sport. The President of Kazakhstan pays great attention to the development and popularization of chess in our country. Lighting of the Olympic flame in Astana is a great pride for all Kazakhstanis. I believe that holding an event of such a high level will make a significant contribution to the further development of chess sport in Kazakhstan," Olzhas Bektenov said.
Prime Minister emphasized the outstanding achievements of Kazakhstani chess players. In India at the last world championship among young men under 20 years old Kazakhstan chess player Kazybek Nogerbek won a gold medal and was awarded the honorary title of "Grandmaster". In June of this year the national team of Kazakhstan took the first place at the Youth Championship of Asia. At the same time, everyone knows the names of Kazakhstani chess players - world champions: Bibisara Asaubaeva, Zhansai Abdumalik, Dinara Saduakasova and Darmen Sadvakasov, who successfully defended the honor of Kazakhstan at the most prestigious world tournaments.
In turn, the President of the International Chess Federation Arkady Dvorkovich in his speech spoke about the World Team Championship in Rapid and Blitz, which will be held in Astana from August 1 to 6 this year.
"Today we are opening the World Team Rapid and Blitz Championships. This new format for FIDE has already become a favorite of many spectators and chess players themselves. The strongest grandmasters of the world, including No. 1 in the world rating, as well as the current world champions, have come to Astana to compete for the championship title. I am sure that these days we will see a lot of interesting games and bright confrontations!" Arkady Dvorkovich noted.
During the ceremony, Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov accepted the Olympic flame from the hands of FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich and handed it to Timur Turlov, President of the Kazakhstan Chess Federation. The torch was picked up by titled athletes, para-athletes, scientists and public figures. The relay was completed on the stage of the amphitheater, where the Olympic flame was lit by the legends of world chess, multiple world champions Magnus Carlsen and Hou Yifan.
"Lighting the flame of the World Chess Olympiad on Kazakhstani soil is recognition of our country as one of the world centers of chess. This flame illuminates our future intellectual victories and symbolizes the beginning of one of the main tournaments of the year is the World Team Championship in Rapid and Blitz, in which the great chess players of our time will take part. This is a great event not only in the world of chess, but also for the whole Kazakhstan sport. After all, the competition is represented by many teams and athletes from our country, including amateurs," Timur Turlov said.
The FIDE World Team Rapid and Blitz Championships will be attended by 315 of the world's best chess players in 39 teams. The current world champions Ding Lizhen (China) and Ju Wenjun (China), the 16th world chess champion Magnus Carlsen (Norway), former world champions Alexandra Kosteniuk (Switzerland) and Hou Yifan (China), vice world champion Jan Nepomnyashchy (Russia), Arjun Erigaysi (India) and a number of titled grandmasters have arrived in Astana to participate. Kazakhstan will be represented by such notable chess players as Bibisara Asaubaeva, Alisher Suleimenov, Darmen Sadvakasov, Aldiyar Ansat, Meruert Kamalidenova, Alua Nurman and many other famous athletes.
For reference: The ceremony of lighting the flame in honor of the 100th anniversary of FIDE was held on February 14 in New Delhi. The Olympic torch has already traveled to Ghana, Switzerland, Canada, Morocco, Colombia, Romania and France. The 45th Chess Olympiad will be held from September 10 to 23 this year in Budapest, where it is planned to gather a record number of participants.
Source: Official Information Source of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan
