DILI, 24 July 2025 (TATOLI) — Portugal made history at the 12th CPLP Games by winning gold medals in both the men’s and women’s Rapid chess categories, demonstrating its dominance in the chess competition.
The Rapid chess tournament was held over two days, from 22 to 23 July, at the Dili Convention Center (CCD) in Timor-Leste. The event featured five rounds of play, starting at 3:00 p.m. on the first day and concluding at 5:03 p.m. the following day.
In the men’s Rapid chess event, Portugal, led by Matviy Faryma, clinched gold with a flawless five-point performance, while Angola’s Célio Alexandre David Tchilulu secured silver with four points, and Timor-Leste’s Noelio Garcia Menezes earned bronze with three.
In the women’s Rapid chess event, Portugal’s Sofia Moreira Lopes Rosas Valente secured gold with a perfect score of 5 points, while Angola’s Daniela de F. Santana da Cruz claimed silver with 3.5 points after winning a tiebreak against Cape Verde’s Akiane Patricia Brito Moreno, who took bronze with the same score.
At the closing ceremony, medals were presented by senior government officials, including Minister of Justice Sérgio Hornai, Deputy Minister for ASEAN Affairs Milena Rangel, and Secretary of State for Art and Culture Jorge Soares Cristóvão, who also serves as General Coordinator of the CPLP Games.
Present at the medal handover ceremony were several distinguished guests, including Francisco Carapinha, President of the Cape Verde Chess Federation and FIDE delegate; Zeferino Viegas, President of the Timor-Leste Chess Federation; and José Andrade de Lemos, Angola’s Ambassador to Timor-Leste.
The 2025 CPLP Chess Tournament is divided into three categories: Standard, Rapid, and Blitz, and runs from 21 to 25 July. Matches are overseen by a panel of nine national referees from Timor-Leste and four international referees from Portugal, São Tomé and Príncipe, and Cape Verde, ensuring compliance with international standards and fair play.
Journalist: Cidalia Fátima
Editor: Armandina Moniz
Translation: Camilio de Sousa
