SVG’s Vedant Shetty Wins Pan American Chess Silver, Only Caribbean Player on Podium 

By S.Browne. Updated 10:25 a.m., Thursday, August 6, 2026, Atlantic Standard Time (GMT-4).

Ten year old Vincentian chess player Vedant Shetty has earned a silver medal at the XXXVI Pan American Youth Chess Championship in Colombia, becoming the only player from the Caribbean to finish on the podium at the continent’s premier youth chess tournament, according to the St Vincent and the Grenadines Chess Federation.

The championship was held in Medellín from July 26 to August 2, 2026.

Competing in the Under 10 Open Classical category, Shetty finished second after scoring an outstanding 7.5 points from nine rounds at the championship, which attracted more than 900 players from 30 countries and is regarded as the premier youth chess competition in the Americas.

According to the St Vincent and the Grenadines Chess Federation, Shetty entered the tournament as the eighth seed in a field of 93 players and defeated opponents from the United States, Colombia, Venezuela, Mexico, Guatemala, Panama, Ecuador and Costa Rica. His tournament included just one loss and one draw.

His final round victory over higher rated American Alexander Joseph secured the silver medal behind champion Grayson Xiang of the United States. The federation said Shetty achieved a tournament performance rating of 1930, more than 200 points above his official International Chess Federation (FIDE) rating, and is expected to gain approximately 88 FIDE rating points.

Shetty also produced another strong showing in the Under 10 Rapid Championship, scoring seven points from nine rounds to finish tied for second before placing fourth overall on tie breaks. During that competition, he defeated top seed and eventual Rapid champion Santiago Agudelo Ramírez of Colombia.

The Chess Federation said Shetty was the only Caribbean player to reach the podium at this year’s Pan American Youth Chess Championship, underscoring the significance of his achievement for both St Vincent and the Grenadines and the wider region.

“Standing on the podium with my country’s flag was the best feeling ever,” Shetty said. “Every game was tough, but I focused on one move at a time. Next time, I’ll aim for the gold.”

The Pan American Youth Chess Championship is organised under the auspices of the International Chess Federation (FIDE) and the Chess Confederation of the Americas and features Classical, Rapid and Blitz competitions for players in age groups ranging from Under 8 to Under 18.

Shetty expressed gratitude to the St Vincent and the Grenadines Chess Federation for its continued support and said he welcomes assistance from public and corporate sponsors to help him compete in future international tournaments.

The federation also said additional sponsorship would support its ongoing youth development initiatives, including efforts to establish chess clubs in schools and expand community outreach programmes aimed at growing the sport across St Vincent and the Grenadines.

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