Sta. Rosa standout and Woman FIDE Master Jemaicah Mendoza made history by securing the bronze medal in the Girls Under-14 category at the 2025 World Youth Chess Championships in Durrës, Albania.
Coached by former UAAP MVP and Woman FIDE Master Shania Mae Mendoza, the 14-year-old prodigy scored eight wins and one draw in the 11-round Swiss tournament, earning 8.5 points and a podium finish.
Mendoza showcased brilliance throughout the competition, remaining among the top three from Round 4 onward.
She ultimately claimed third place after a final-round loss to Russian Woman FIDE Master Polina Smirnova, who clinched the title with 9 points.
Earlier in the tournament, Mendoza went undefeated through the first seven rounds before falling to Serbian Woman FIDE Master Vera Vujovic in Round 8.
She quickly rebounded with two consecutive wins, including a remarkable comeback from a losing position against Azerbaijan Woman Candidate Master Saadat Bashirli in Round 10, entering the final round as the top seed.
Meanwhile, fellow Filipino representative Phil Martin Casiguran finished 55th overall (tied for 49th–70th) in the Boys Under-14 category, registering five wins and two draws out of 144 participants.
The World Youth Chess Championship is an annual global event showcasing the best young chess talents worldwide.
Notably, current Classical Chess World Champion Gukesh Dommaraju of India captured the Boys Under-14 title in 2020.
