Financial woes might dampen chess sensation Tatenda Matemavi’s dream of competing at the African Junior Chess championships next month.
REPORT BY RANGANAI DZOTIZEI
The young prodigy and his coach Victor Chimbumu need US$1 415 each to make the trip to Tunisia for the championships, to be held in December. An additional US$955 for food and accommodation for the coach is needed and about US$280 for Matemavi’s registration fee and daily upkeep.
Chimbumu revealed to Standardsport they were working round the clock to secure the funds.
Matemavi faced the agony of missing the ongoing World Youth Chess Championships in Slovenia due to school commitments.
The national Under-18 chess champion made the grade after picking up gold in the African Youth Chess Championships in South Africa in October, the first ever gold medal for Zimbabwe in that category.
He beat challengers from Egypt, South Africa, Botswana, Angola, Kenya and Zambia on his way to glory.
In Tunisia, he would battle it out in the Under-20 category against some of the best chess players on the continent and given his past exploits, hopes are high he can impress again.
