THE National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) nominated Woman Grandmaster Janelle Mae Frayna and International Master (IM) Paulo Bersamina to represent the country in the men and women FIDE World Chess Cup.
NCFP chief executive officer Grandmaster Jayson Gonzales said they have decided to nominate Frayna and Bersamina for the two slots allotted to the country because they have no more time to hold tryouts.
Frayna, who turned 24 on Wednesday, will be the country’s lone bet in the women’s World Cup slated July 10 to August 6 in Sochi, Russia, while Bersamina will join IMs Daniel Quizon and Michael Concio Jr. in the men’s edition of the same event from August 1 to 28 in Minsk, Belarus.
Quizon, 16, and Concio, 15, clinched their spots by topping the Asian Zonal 3.3 Championships two weeks ago.
Frayna was actually in the final month of her Army training but had to cut it short after she was called upon for the World Cup and the Hanoi Southeast Asian Games in November.
Gonzales thanked Rep. Abraham Tolentino, Philippine Sports Commission chairman William Ramirez, NCFP president Rep. Prospero Pichay Jr. and Undersecretay Arthur Tabaquero for helping Frayna train.
Besides being the country’s first and only WGM so far, Frayna will also make history as the first Filipina to see action in the World Cup.