TWO emerging female talents in the sport of chess will make history when they represent Guyana at the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Women’s Chess Championship in Barbados, this month end.

Fourteen-year-old Sasha Shariff and 12-year-old Chelsea Juma will be the first females ever to represent Guyana at the CAC Championships, which runs from July 27 to August 3.

Shariff and Juma both represented Guyana recently at the CARIFTA Chess Championship in Suriname. Shariff, who will also represent Guyana at the Chess Olympiad in Georgia, USA in September, is counting on her experience to help her perform well at the CAC Championship.

Meanwhile, National Chess coach Wendell Meusa has been working with the young ladies for about two months, preparing them for the competition.

While Shariff and Juma are still relatively inexperienced in the world of chess tournaments, both have demonstrated rapid growth.

Additionally, while the girls are in Barbados, they will receive critical training and guidance from the Barbados National Coach and International Chess Master, Terry Farley.

Countries participating in the tournament include Guyana, Mexico, Aruba, Haiti, Guatemala, Bahamas, Jamaica, El Salvador, Barbados, Netherland Antilles, Nicaragua, Bermuda, Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, British Virgin Islands, Suriname, Panama, Dominican Republic, Trinidad and Tobago, Cuba, US Virgin Islands, Venezuela, Colombia, Guyana, Honduras, Antigua and Barbuda, Martinique and Guadeloupe.