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State award for Polish chess player Jan-Krzysztof Duda

15.10.2021 08:15
Chess player Jan-Krzysztof Duda has been awarded the Gold Cross of Merit, a high Polish state decoration, for his achievements in sports and for helping promote the country internationally.
The president and the grandmaster: Andrzej Duda decorates Jan-Krzysztof Duda in Warsaw on Thursday.
The president and the grandmaster: Andrzej Duda decorates Jan-Krzysztof Duda in Warsaw on Thursday. Photo: Grzegorz Jakubowski/KPRP

At a ceremony in Warsaw on Thursday, President Andrzej Duda praised the 23-year-old, who in August became the first Pole to win the Chess World Cup after beating Russia’s Sergei Karyakin in the final.

The Polish chess grandmaster, who hails from the southern city of Wieliczka, was also the first Pole to advance to the World Cup finals after knocking out world champion Magnus Carlsen in the semifinals.

"This was the biggest success for Poland in the sport of chess since the days of the great players who represented our country internationally before World War II and who won gold medals as a team at the 1930 Chess Olympiad in Hamburg," the Polish president said during the awards ceremony on Thursday.

"The progress you're making in your career is amazing ... We are keeping our fingers crossed for you to become number one in the world," he added, addressing Jan-Krzysztof Duda at the presidential palace. 

Several members of the player's team were also handed high state honours at the presidential palace on Thursday, the PAP news agency reported.

(gs)

Source: PAPprezydent.pl