Namibian National Chess Olympiad Team received National Colours

16 September 2010, was yet another historic event, when the Namibian National Chess Olympiad Team received National Colours.

We registered chess as a sport in 2005 and after 5 years received national colours for the first time for international participation. According to the World Chess Federation's rating list Namibia ranks 102 out of 160 countries registered with FIDE. Namibia also ranks 9th out of 22 African Countries affiliated to the World Chess Federation, FIDE.

Our previous participation was:
Russia, Moscow, 1994
Russia, Elista, 1998
Turkey, Istanbul, 2000
Slovenia, Bled, 2002
Spain, Calvia, 2004
Italy, Turin, 2006
Germany, Dresden, 2008

We have participated in 7 Chess Olympiads to date and this will be our 8th attempt in Russia, Khanty- Mansiysk. Fide Master, Leonhard Mueller got two silver medals at the previous chess Olympiads, 1994 and 1998 and that is a sign of opportunity and progress.
Our team is as follows: Candidate Master, Charles Eichab, 3 times Namibian Champion; Fide Master Leonhard Mueller, 2010 Namibian Champion; Candidate Master, Otto Nakapunda, ranked 5th in Namibia 2010; Max Nitzborn, ranked 2nd in Namibia 2010 and Simon Shidolo, ranked 4th in Namibia 2010.

We would like to thank, the Namibia Sports Commission for their assistance as well as the Media for covering this historic event.

The Brave Knights hope to bring back medals for Namibia.

In the picture from left to right: We have, Otto Nakapunda, Charles Eichab, Rusten Mogane, Max Nitzborn and Simon Shidolo. Leonhard Mueller could not attend the ceremony.