A 17-year-old girl from Cartagena, Colombia, has won the 10th Annual Susan Polgar Girls Invitational (SPGI) chess tournament held July 22-25 at Webster University.
Luisa Mercado Mendoza earned a four-year, all-tuition-and-fees scholarship to Webster University, worth $23,000 a year; a cash prize of $3,000; an iPad mini and a $2,400 year-long fitness sponsorship from CrossFit. The teen has been playing chess for 13 years and currently ranks in the top five, under-18 players in Colombia. Mendoza will enter her last year of high school this fall and is looking forward to attending Webster University.
"I really like Webster and want to be a part of it," Mendoza said. "I like the possibility of living on campus at Webster, because in Colombia, there are not many schools where you can do that. St. Louis is very green and beautiful and it's very easy to get around."
Also winning scholarships were Becca Lampman, from Washington state, and Jackie Peng, a member of the Canadian Olympic Chess Team. Approximately $250,000 in scholarships and prizes were awarded.
Source: Webster-Kirkwood Times
Final standings are here.
Full coverage can be found on the Idaho Chess Association web site.
