Frayna draws with Chinese foe, finishes 5th

MANILA, Philippines – WIM Janelle Mae Frayna drew with Chinese WIM Gu Tianli in the 13th and final round Sunday night to finish fifth in the World Junior Girls Chess Championship in Bhubaneswar, India.

Frayna actually ended up tied at fourth to eighth spots with Colombian IM Andrea Rueda Paula Rodriguez, Indian WIM R Vaishali, Mongolian WIM Uurtsaikh Uuriintuya and Indian WIM Dharia Parnali with 8.5 points but ended up at No. 5 after tiebreaks.

Kazakhstan's WGM Dinara Saduakassova won the event with 9.5 points, half a point ahead of Indian WIM Pv Nandhidhaa and Russian WIM Dinara Dordzhieva.

It was a heartbreaking campaign for the 19-year-old Frayna, who was leading the tournament after the 10th round only to lose two straight matches.

Frayna, however, said it was pressure that undone her campaign.

"I have no one to blame but myself, the pressure got me," said Frayna. "But I'm happy that I learned a lot from this event and I wish someone from our country can win this same tournament someday."

IM Paulo Bersamina lost to untitled Chinese Xu Yinglun to 19th in the Open section.

Bersamina and Frayna, whose trip was bankrolled by the Phl Sports Commission chaired by William "Butch" Ramirez and the National Chess Federation of the Phl, will return home before plunging into action again in the World Chess Olympiad set Sept. 1-14 in Baku, Azerbaijan.