Fourth grade student Marianda Lambou is being lauded for becoming a European chess champion before even seeing her tenth birthday.
The nine-year-old passed all rounds of the Pan-European Championship for Girls held in Antalya, Turkey in November winning first place.
Chess has been a daily part of her life since kindergarten, CNN Greece reports, with her first coach Ioannis Panagakos saying she not only has talent, but an exceptional work ethic which inspires her confidence against opponents across the board.
Though one imagines that confidence is bolstered by the favourite teddy bear she brings along to her matches, undoubtedly one of her strongest supporters.
As she climbed to the top step of the podium at the Antalya championship, gold medal around her neck and prize-cup in her hands, she and her family were evidently filled with joy and pride.
Her younger brother has also found great success in the sport.
Victory at the Antalya championship against peers from 30 countries comes after years of participation and triumph in the Panhellenic championships in a number of tournaments.
A member of the Aigli Papagou Sports Cultural Club since kindergarten, which is led by her first coach Ioannis Panagakos, Marianda complements him with being the one who taught her how to think and manage any situation, both on and off the chessboard.
In an interview with CNN Greece she said “I like to play chess, play a little basketball with my brother and read books, at school my favourite subject is German.”
“When I play, usually, I don’t feel anything because I’m dedicated to playing the game, I just think about he moves and not much else,” she explains.
Marianda says she that while she enjoys every game equally, success in larger tournaments does make her a little happier than usual.
Speaking on the scale of the match in Turkey, she says that even though the room was certainly imposing as were the number of games being played she “learned to get over it.”
Her reception is Greece came as a surprise to her as her success made the rounds in the media and many learned of her success, expressing congratulations and pride.
“I felt a lot of joy, emotion and pride to represent my country,” she says.
The young woman’s goals of course are not just limited to the chessboard, she has set her sights on the stars, with the aim of becoming an astrophysicist.
Congratulations to the young champion, let’s look forward to hearing of her future success.
