SINGAPORE -- Nakopo ni Filipino International Master (IM) elect Edgar Reggie Olay ang gold medal sa katatapos na National Blitz Chess Championships 2018 Open Division na ginanap sa Bukit Merah Community Club sa Jalan Bukit Merah, Singapore nitong Sabado.
Ang Davao City at Kidapawan City pride na si Olay, isang chess instructor dito, ay nakapagtala ng perfect 11 points sa eleven-round tournament na inorganisa ng Singapore Chess Federation kung saan ang tournament director ay si International Organizer (IO) Thomas Hoe habang si International Arbiter (IA) Nisban Jasmin ang nagsilbing Chief Arbiter sa three minutes plus two seconds increment time control format.
Binati ni Arena Grandmaster at Fide Master elect Roberto Suelo Jr. si Olay matapos kunin ang titulo ng National Blitz Chess Championships 2018 Open Division.
“I would like to congratulate International Master (IM) elect Edgar Reggie Olay for giving us pride. This win surely cement, yet again, your position as one of the Filipino top chess players. May you continue to inspire Filipinos in the field of sports (chess).” sabi ni Suelo, aktibong miyembro ng International Churches of Christ (ICOC) sa Singapore.
Kabilang sa mga tinalo ni Olay ay sina Yi Feng Ian Ho sa first round, Sheng Feng Ng sa second round, Ende Matthew Lew sa third round, Fide Master (FM) Ashvin Sivakumar sa fourth round, International Master (IM) Zhen Yu Cryrus Low sa fifth round, Grandmaster (GM) Buenaventura “Bong” Villamayor sa sixth round, International Master (IM) Enrique Paciencia sa seventh round, Fide Master (FM) Arlan Cabe sa eight round, Candidate Master (CM) Zhi Rong Benjamin sa ninth round, Fide Master Qing Aun Lee sa tenth round at Winston Elmer Arrocena sa eleventh at final round.
Si Olay din ang nagkampeon sa July edition ng Asean Chess Academy Rapid Open Chess Championships na ginanap sa Bukit Timah Shopping Centre nitong Hulyo 7, 2018 at tinulungan ang Philippine Team (Isaiah 40) na pagharian ang Nanyang Racial Harmony Chess Team Challenge 2018 Open division na ginanap sa Nanyang Community Club nitong Hulyo 29, 2018