HÀ NỘI — Vietnamese players won two gold medals at the 25th International Physically Disabled Chess Association (IPCA) World Chess Championship 2026 in Guardamar, Spain, on June 10.

Đoàn Thu Huyền claimed the women's rapid title with 7.5 points from nine rounds, a significant improvement on her bronze-medal finish at last year's tournament.

Trần Thị Bích Thủy secured Việt Nam's second gold medal in the women's wheelchair rapid event, scoring six points from nine rounds to successfully defend her title.

Earlier, Thủy won silver in the women's wheelchair blitz event with 5.5 points. Poland's Liliana Leszner took the gold medal with eight points.

Huyền also scored 5.5 points in the blitz competition but finished fourth on tie-breaks.

Coach Bùi Quang Vũ said the team had entered the tournament aiming not only to win medals but also to gain valuable experience by competing against some of the world's strongest players.

“My players worked hard and showed great confidence throughout the competition. Despite facing strong opponents and intense competition, they demonstrated determination and resilience to achieve these excellent results,” he said.

Vũ added that the medals would provide a significant boost ahead of the standard chess events. After six rounds, Thủy is leading the women's wheelchair category with 4.5 points, while Huyền is ranked seventh with three points.

This year's IPCA World Chess Championship attracted more than 70 players from 18 countries and territories. Việt Nam is represented by only two competitors in Guardamar.

At last year's tournament, the Vietnamese team won one gold, one silver and two bronze medals. — VNS