Bibisara Assaubayeva wins bronze at FIDE Grand Swiss
Bibisara Assaubayeva (2505) took third place at the prestigious FIDE Women’s Grand Swiss in Samarkand, becoming the first Kazakh player to reach the podium in the history of this tournament, Kazinform News Agency correspondent reports citing the Kazakhstan Chess Federation.
The 21-year-old grandmaster secured 7½ points after a final-round draw against Anna Muzychuk (2535, Ukraine). Assaubayeva entered the last day among the top contenders, competing closely with Kateryna Lagno (2505, FIDE) and Vaishali Rameshbabu (2452, India). Her result consolidated her position in the FIDE women’s rankings, where she now trails only Muzychuk, Lei Tingjie, and Harika Dronavalli.
Other Kazakh players also delivered strong performances. Meruert Kamalidenova (2349) defeated Eline Roebers (2377, Netherlands), finishing 19th. Fourteen-year-old Yelnaz Kaliahmet (2299) completed the women’s grandmaster norm despite a final-round loss to Anna Ushenina (2409, Ukraine), securing 37th place. Ksenia Balabaeva (2383) beat Guldona Karimova (2324, Uzbekistan) to finish 40th.
“Bibisara Assaubayeva’s bronze medal is an achievement that inspires millions of fans in Kazakhstan and beyond! We are proud of our chess queen and eagerly await her new victories,” the Kazakhstan Chess Federation stated.
Earlier this month, young Kazakhstani chess player Alimzhan Zhауynbai, 11, won the gold medal at the international chess festival in UAE.
