[Photo: Fiji Chess / Facebook]

Fiji’s Hilda Kunau is one of 10 female Chess Federation President in the world.

Kunau was acknowledged by World Chess Federation in a sport that is predominantly led by males.

She took over the leadership of Fiji Chess in 2019, and has since actively engaged Fiji in World Olympiads and the Online Global League.

The other 9 countries with a female president are Netherlands, Turkey, Chile, US Virgin Islands, Saint Lucia, Trinidad & Tobago, Comoros Islands, Malawi and South Korea.

Under Kunau’s leadership, Fiji has gained success in global events like the 2020 Rapid Online World Chess Olympiad, 2021 Rapid World Chess Olympiad, 2020-2021 Online Global Chess League.

She also helped Fiji compete at the recent 2022 World Chess Olympiad in Chennai, India where 16-year old Rudr Ravi Prasad earned a Provisional FIDE Master title, 15-year old Tanvi Radha Prasad gained a Provisional Women’s Candidate Master title, and Cydel Kabrina Terubea received her Provisional WCM title.

The 2022 World Chess Olympiad marks the highest number of titles earned by Fiji in a single world event since 1979.