Arca secures 3rd Asian gold

The Philippines’ Christian Gian Karlo Arca captured the rapid gold medal to cap the country’s solid performance in the 18th Asian Schools Chess Championships in Bangkok, Thailand Wednesday night.

Arca, who drew with Turkmenistan’s Serdar Bayramov in 43 moves of a Queen’s Pawn game in the seventh and final round, finished tied for first with Mongolian FM Khishigbat Ulziikhishig with 5.5 points apiece but the former took the gold via tiebreak.

That tiebreak hinged on Arca’s third-round victory over Khishigbat that was part of Arca’s five straight wins to start the tournament.

It cushioned the impact of the 15-year-old Panabo, Davao del Norte’s sixth and penultimate round defeat to Chinese Cao Qingfeng.

It was the third gold for Arca, who also reigned supreme in individual and team blitz alongside Lemuel Jay Adena and Oscar Joseph Cantela Tuesday.

Apart from Arca’s triple-gold haul, the country also had three-silver and the same number of bronze.

Also coming through for the country were Arleah Cassandra Sapuan, Kate Nicole Ordizo and Beatrice Ann Bombales, who had a team bronze in the girls’ U17 rapid division.