Frayna's European quest gets STAR backing

MANILA, Philippines – Woman Grandmaster Janelle Mae Frayna's bid to compete in the European chess circuit got a much needed boost after The Philippine STAR President and CEO Miguel Belmonte and board member Edward Go donated money that should help fund her campaign.

No less than Belmonte himself presented the check worth P134,000, including P50,000 from Go to Frayna and her coach GM Jayson Gonzales Wednesday at TheSTAR's office in Port Area, Manila.

Gonzales said some of it will go to purchasing a brand new laptop that can handle the latest chess programs in the world that should help the 21-year-old Far Eastern University standout prepare when she leaves for Europe starting June 12.

"We need these programs before we leave because we want to go to Europe prepared," said Gonzales.

Frayna, who is doing simultaneous matches and clinics on the side to generate funds, is eyeing a total of six tournaments starting with the XIX Obert Internacional Sant Marti slated July 13-21 and 43 Open Internacional de Sitges from July 22-30 in Barcelona, Spain.

She will then fly to Germany for the International Women's Open from July 31-August 4 return to Spain for the II Torneo Internacional Jugando con las Estrellas from August 12-18 and then to Italy fopr the Scaccobratto-XXXVII International Chess Festival Conca Della Presonala (Master) from August 19-27.

From Europe, Frayna will proceed to Malaysia for the 14th IGB Dato Arthur Tan Malaysian Open from August 28-September 4.

And Frayna hopes she'll receive more funding.

"Hopefully, they would continue to support me because my goal is to be top 10 women's players in the world," said Frayna, currently the country's highest ranked chesser with a rating of 2287.

Frayna owns the distinction as the country's first ever WGM after a strong performance in last year's Chess Olympiad in Baku, Azerbaijan and could be also be a men's International Master if she could reach the 2400-rating plateau.

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