Gukesh D fails to hold back tears after historic World Championship win: 'Was dreaming this moment for last 10 years'
Gukesh claimed the title on Thursday after he beat world champion Ding Liren of China in the 14th and last game of a thrilling showdown in Singapore.
Indian Grandmaster Gukesh D was left in complete disbelief and could not stop crying after he became the youngest world chess champion at the age of 18. He claimed the title on Thursday after beating world champion Ding Liren of China in the 14th and last game of a thrilling showdown in Singapore.
Gukesh, who had entered the match as the youngest-ever challenger to the world crown, did not make the perfect start to the championship, as he lost the opening round. However, he bounced back to level the score in the final of the third round. After a series of seven drawn rounds, the Indian eventually took the lead in the 11th game, only to lose to the Chinese in the following round. But Gukesh had the last laugh on Thursday. Just when it seemed that a draw was imminent, which could have gone in favour of Liren, Gukesh secured the requisite 7.5 points against 6.5 of Liren to win the last classical time control game of the 14-game match.
Following the win, Gukesh could not stop crying. His face was covered with his hands, as he kept wiping his tears. Liren, on the other hand, was left seemingly devastated at the results as he shook hands with Gukesh and left immediately, shaking his head in disappointment.
"I was dreaming this moment for the last 10 years. I am happy that I realised the dream (and made it) into reality," the soft-spoken Chennai-lad told reporters after the historic triumph. “I got a bit emotional because I was not expecting to win. But then I got a chance to press on.”
History for Gukesh!
With the win, Gukesh, who had qualified for the World Championship after a victory in the Candidates tournament earlier this year, became the youngest-ever world chess champion. The record was previously held by Garry Kasparov, who had won the title at the age of 22, dethroning Anatoly Karpov in 1985.
He also became the second Indian to win the global title after the legendary Viswanathan Anand, a five-time world champion. He had last won the crown in 2013.
“In 2013 when I saw Magnus Carlsen and Vishy Sir in the World Championship match, I thought it will be super cool to be inside the Glass room one day, to actually be there and sit there and see the Indian flag next to me would probably be the best moment.
"When Magnus won, I thought I really want to be the one to bring back the title to India. I had said in 2017 that I wanted to be the youngest world champion in history," Gukesh said.
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