15-year old April Joy Claros is currently being considered as the country’s most talented chess superstars after having competed and won numerous local and international chess competitions.
April, who hails from the City of Angeles in Pampanga,is a grade 10 student of FEU in Diliman, Quezon City. At a young age, she is being groomed to be the next Woman Grandmaster of the Philippines by none other than the National Chess Federation of the Philippines in partnership with the FEU. As reported by the Philippine Star, she is likewise being trained and mentored by multi-awarded chess coach and FIDE senior trainor Grandmaster Jayson Gonzales.
As a background, April was able to learn chess when he was 8, from his loving father, who supported her during her first chess tournament when she was 10 years old.
Currently, she is the only Filipino who has reached the quarterfinals in the 2021 online World FIDE cadet chess championship.This year, Claros recorded a grand slam, winning the championships in 2022 National age group U16 Girls in Malolos City last March, the National Youth and Schools U15 Girls in Dapitan City last September, and the National Juniors U20 Girls.The chess prodigy is now gunning for greater glory, participating in the Eastern Asia Youth Chess Champsionship in Bangkok, Thailand from November 4-12. She will also be playing in the prestigious Philippine National Women’s Chess Championship from November 29- December 7.
Her local and International chess campaign would not be possible without the support of FEU Chairman Aurelio Montinola III, FEU Athletic Director Mark Oliver Molina and NCFP President /Chairman Hon. Prospero A.Pichay Jr.
Source: https://www.philstar.com/sports/2022/11/01/2220781/15-year-old-seen-next-big-thing-philippine-chess
