Indian Grandmaster Koneru Humpy secured her second World Rapid Chess Championship title, defeating Indonesia's Irene Sukandar in a thrilling final. Humpy, who first claimed the title in 2019 in Georgia, becomes only the second player after China’s Ju Wenjun to win the championship more than once. The 37-year-old capped a stellar performance with 8.5 points out of 11 rounds, reaffirming her dominance in rapid chess.

The tournament also witnessed an impressive victory by 18-year-old Russian prodigy Volodar Murzin, who clinched the men’s title. Murzin, the second-youngest FIDE World Rapid Champion in history, follows in the footsteps of Nodirbek Abdusattorov, who won the title at 17. The event highlighted the growing global prominence of young chess talents, as players like Murzin continue to make waves on the international stage.

Humpy's victory adds another jewel to India’s remarkable year in chess, coming on the heels of D Gukesh’s historic triumph in the classical format World Chess Championship in Singapore, where he defeated reigning champion Ding Liren of China. These achievements underscore India’s rising stature in global chess, with both established and emerging players making significant strides on the world stage.