On Aug 13 local time, two youth athletes from Zhangjiagang, Suzhou, Jiangsu province, each claimed a gold medal at the "Confucius Cup" 2024 4th World Xiangqi Open held at the Confucius Institute for Ireland at University College Dublin.
The competition featured 17 teams comprising 63 players from 13 countries and regions, including China, Singapore, Canada, and the United States, with Team China winning a total of seven gold medals.
Zhangjiagang player Luo Yunxi, aged 15, won the gold medal in the Women's U15 group. She joined the Suzhou Xiangqi Team in 2020 and later the Jiangsu Women's Xiangqi Team in 2022. Luo performed well in several provincial and national xiangqi competitions.
Luo Yunxi, 15, competes in the xiangqi games. [Photo/WeChat account: zjgwtgl]
Wang Sikai, aged 12, clinched the gold medal in the Man's U12 group. He joined the Suzhou Xiangqi Team in 2020 and has achieved notable results in xiangqi, or Chinese chess, competitions in Jiangsu province. In 2023, he secured second place in the 4th World Youth Xiangqi Championships held in Houston, the United States.
Wang Sikai, 12, competes in the xiangqi competition. [Photo/WeChat account: zjgwtgl]