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World Rapid And Blitz Team Championships: Arjun Erigaisi's Team MGD1 Claim Rapid Title
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The Erigaisi-led side finished at the top of the table, ahead of second-placed Hexamind and Viswanathan Anand-led Freedom came in third.
Team MGD1 clinched the Rapid event title at the World Rapid and Blitz Team Championships on Saturday as the Arjun Erigaisi-led side finished at the top of the table, ahead of second-placed Hexamind and Viswanathan Anand-led Freedom came in third.
The team led by captain Srinath Narayanan comprised Tsolakidou Stovroula, Pentala Harikrishna, Leon Mendonca, David Anton Guijarro, Pranav and Atharva Tayade in addition to Erigaisi.
MGD1, who had claimed the silver and bronze medals in the previous two editions of the event bettered their record to clinch the top podium spot with four wins on the last day of the Rapid event.
'This is very special! With the Indian team in the Olympiad we were the favourites to win and out here with Team MGD1 we were the underdogs. And yet we won gold again," skipper Srinath said following the triumph.
'Team MGD1 is all about Team Spirit. I was having a bad day on day 2 and others stepped up to keep the momentum going. Also Atharvaa's performance was out of this world," Erigaisi added.
Despite commendable performances from across the spectrum, it was amateur player Atharvaa Tayade who shone the brightest with a nearly unblemished record at the team event that dictates contingents to include a sub-2000 ELO ranked male and female player each.
Tayade remained unbeaten up until the final round in the Rapid section of the event in the United Kingdom to help his side script history with the victory as they became the first India team to clinch the coveted title in London.
'I am really happy! With this team it's mainly about a great culture! Even though I'm an amateur player they didn't make me feel like one," Tayade added.
First Published:
June 14, 2025, 10:00 IST
