European Youth Chess Champions 2026 crowned

The European Youth Chess Championship 2026 concluded yesterday in Hersonissos, Crete, Greece with the magnificent Closing ceremony and Awarding of the Medalists and Winners.

The Closing ceremony of the event was held in the open air, in the resort of Hotel Royal & Imperial Belvedere, with spectacular acrobatic and dance performances.

The ceremony was attended by the ECU President Mr. Zurab Azmaiparashvili, ECU Secretary General Mr. Theodoros Tsorbatzoglou, representative of the Cretan Periphery Mr. Georgis Pitsoulis, Tournament Director Mr. Nikos Kalesis, Aegean University Professor Mrs. Katerina Frantzi, President of the Malta Chess Federation Mr. Duncan Vella, Vice President of the Romanian Chess Federation Mr. Alin-Mile Berescu, International Director of the Belgium Chess Federation Mr. Ben Dardha, Coordinator for Education of Spanish Chess Federation Mr. Jose Francisco Suarez Roa, Secretary of Azerbaijan Chess Federation Mrs. Ilaha Kadimova, representatives of the Cretan Chess Union, local organizing committee, and other distinguished guests.

After an address by ECU President Mr. Zurab Azmaiparashvili, Chief Arbiter Mr. Marco Biagioli read out the results and announced the winners. The top five players in each category were invited to the podium to receive medals, trophies and gifts.

The Winners of the Girls U8 section:

1. Eliz Melike Karahan (Turkey, 1636), 7.5/9 points
2. Karolina Briukhovych (Ukraine, 1561), 7/9 points
3. Selin Mammadova (Azerbaijan, 1510), 7/9 points
4. Amelia Malakhova (Ukraine, 1535), 7/9 points
5. Derin Pestimalcioglu (Turkey), 7/9 points

The Winners of the Open U8 section:

1. Nikolas Bausys (Lithuania, 1857), 8/9 points
2. Boris Jaksic (Serbia, 1833), 7.5/9 points
3. Harry Chan (England, 1720), 7/9 points
4. Theo Ivanov (Belgium, 1776), 7/9 points
5. Vasileios Volanis (Greece, 1664), 7/9 points

The Winners of the Girls U10 section:

1. Lile Svanadze (Georgia, 1753), 8/9 points
2. Nina Bos (Poland, 1939), 7.5/9 points
3. Elif Defne Ozer (Turkey, 1668), 7/9 points
4. Defne Karaman (Turkey, 1690), 7/9 points
5. Alya Beren Candan (Turkey, 1555), 6.5/9 points

The Winners of the Open U10 section:

1. Han Nam Pham (France, 2283), 9/9 points!
2. Ertugrul Pala (Turkey, 2010), 7.5/9 points
3. Damian Zidek (Czech Republic, 2045), 7/9 points
4. Ali Mete Dere (Turkey, 2045), 7/9 points
5. Kajetan Wilczek (Poland, 1964), 7/9 points

The Winners of the Girls U12 section:

1. Lila Rzadkowska (Poland, 2048), 8/9 points
2. Nare Isakhanyan (Armenia, 1856), 7.5/9 points
3. Lam Vy Le Nguyen (England, 1900), 7.5/9 points
4. Eslem Tolan (Turkey, 1663), 7/9 points
5. Beren Cetin (Turkey, 1688), 6.5/9 points

The Winners of the Open U12 section:

1. Timing Zhang (Finland, 2120), 8/9 points
2. Boris Kolodziejczyk (France, 2374), 7/9 points
3. Marc Llari (France, 2358), 7/9 points
4. Leonid Ivanovic (Serbia, 2357), 7/9 points
5. Safa Hummatov (Azerbaijan, 2074), 7/9 points

The Winners of the Girls U14 section:

1. Kaja Rzadkowska (Poland, 1997), 7.5/9 points
2. Blanka Ejsymont (Poland, 2138), 7.5/9 points
3. Tea Rusitashvili (Georgia, 1966), 7/9 points
4. Michalina Popczynska (Poland, 2023), 7/9 points
5. Areti Xynidi (Greece, 1841), 6.5/9 points

The Winners of the Open U14 section:

1. Noam Sason (Israel, 2381), 7.5/9 points
2. Rahav Eliran Shilon (Israel, 2323), 7.5/9 points
3. Tyhran Ambartsumian (Armenia, 2353), 7/9 points
4. Damir Bulgak (FIDE, 2317), 7/9 points
5. Rus David Lacan (France, 2397), 6,5/9 points

The Winners of the Girls U16 section:

1. Veranika Abramkina (FIDE, 2240), 8/9 points
2. Naomi Maklakova (Latvia, 1992), 7/9 points
3. Vera Vujovic (Serbia, 2131), 7/9 points
4. Lala Huseynova (Azerbaijan, 2178), 7/9 points
5. Sona Krkyasharyan (Armenia, 2037), 6.5/9 points

The Winners of the Open U16 section:

1. Mateu Boci (Albania, 2334), 8/9 points
2. Lukas Dotzer (Austria, 2464), 7/9 points
3. Erekle Tabatadze (Georgia, 2356), 7/9 points
4. Yan Domin (Ukraine, 2363), 7/9 points
5. Apostolos Palaiologou (Greece, 2167), 7/9 points

The Winners of the Girls U18 section:

1. Narmin Abdinova (Azerbaijan, 2203), 9/9 points!!
2. Klara Szczotka (Poland, 2034), 7/9 points
3. Sofiia Moskalets (Ukraine, 2279), 7/9 points
4. Maryna Petrenko (Ireland, 2016), 6.5/9 points
5. Aybike Kucuk (Turkey, 2012), 6.5/9 points

The Winners of the Open U18 section:

1. Vahe Sukiasyan (Armenia, 2418), 7.5/9 points
2. Tunar Davudov (Azerbaijan, 2430), 7/9 points
3. Can Durak (Turkey, 2446), 7/9 points
4. Roy Vagman (Israel, 2355), 6.5/9 points
5. Vitus Bondo Medhus (Denmark, 2396), 6.5/9 points

Final rankings of all sections can be found here.

Official website of the event

Photos by ECU/ ECUPress and Mark Livshitz

Relive the highlights of the championship in our official aftermovie: