Chennai teen sensation D Gukesh created history on Sunday, becoming the youngest-ever Candidates winner in Toronto. He also became the youngest World Championship challenger, and only the second Indian to win the Candidates after legend Viswanathan Anand.
His victory stunned everyone as he wasn’t the favourite prior to the tournament, with Fabiano Caruana and Hikaru Nakamura initially carrying bragging rights. But the youngster showcased grit and determination to finish the tournament on top of the standings.
On his way out from the venue after his win, the 17-year-old Grandmaster was mobbed by fans, who went on a state of frenzy by his mere presence. A video of the incident was shared by FIDE on X, formerly known as Twitter, and has gone viral since then.
Here is the video of Gukesh getting mobbed by fans:
What did Viswanathan Anand say?
After his win, Gukesh received a special congratulatory message from none other than Anand. Gukesh is also part of WACA, which is Anand’s chess academy.
“Congratulations to @DGukesh for becoming the youngest challenger. The @WacaChess family is so proud of what you have done . I’m personally very proud of how you played and handled tough situations. Enjoy the moment”, Anand wrote.
In the final standings in Toronto, Gukesh claimed pole position, followed by Nakamura in second-place and Ian Nepomniachtchi in third. Meanwhile, Caruana came fourth, with R PRaggnanandhaa and Vidit Gujrathi in fifth and sixth respectively. Alireza Firouzja occupied seventh place and Nijat Abasov came eighth.
Speaking after his win, Gukesh told ANI, “My next goal is to make it big at the World Championship. I am just planning to do my absolute best and try to do the right things. And be at the ideal shape required to play good chess. And I hope things will go my way.”
On challenging Ding Liren, he said, “I haven’t really thought about the preparations yet; I did not get much time to. I will soon start thinking about the match. I try to do as well as I can and give my absolute best everywhere possible. I am really eager to start preparing for the final. Going there and giving my best.”
Meanwhile, he also hailed the increase in popularity of chess in India. “Chess in India is growing and it’s a great time for chess in the country. We are all doing well and this was really a huge achievement winning the Candidates. I hope this brings more people to the game,” he added.
