Lyons to join Fiji team at Oceania
FIJI’S top-ranked female chess player Kieran Lyons has been included in the Fiji team to the 2023 Oceania Zonal Chess Championship in Melbourne, Australia later this month.
Holding the rank of the Woman’s FIDE Master, the third on the world chess rankings, Lyons will join Fiji national champions Taione Sikivou and Tanvi Prasad. They will be joined by Ryan Lyons, the younger brother of Kieran, as Fiji’s representatives.
“CM Taione Sikivou and Provisional WCM Tanvi Prasad will be officially representing Fiji in the 2023 Oceania Zonal Chess Championship against elite players from Australia, New Zealand and Pacific Island Countries (PICs) like Nauru and Solomon Islands,” Fiji Chess Federation general secretary Goru Arvind said.
“Australia-based WFM Kieran Lyons will also add to the squad in Melbourne as the top-ranked Fijian female player since the 1990s, while her younger brother Ryan Lyons will mark his international debut for Fiji as a player.”
Meanwhile, Sikivou and Prasad will be aiming to put Fiji at number one among Pacific region countries.
The duo won the right to represent Fiji in Melbourne after winning the 2022 Vodafone Fiji National Chess Championship titles for the men’s and women’s categories respectivelylast month in Suva.
They will be up against some formidable opponents who are ranked highly on the international stage.
Sikivou, who is also the Fiji Chess Federation vice president, knows they have a big task on their hands but will be looking to come out with a lesson or two.
“In the Oceania, Fiji is quite a small country. The bigger countries are Australia and New Zealand, they have multiple grand masters and higher ranked players,” he said.
“We are just looking to score some points against higher ranked opponents and get some exposure. But to be honest we’re a long way away from Australia and New Zealand.
“In terms of the Pacific region, Fiji is one of the top two so we’re looking to be the best Pacific country.”
The Oceania event will be held on Janury 23-28.