One Move Closer: Bongolethu to Commonwealth 2026

My name is Bongolethu Ncethelo, and I am a passionate and dedicated chess player from South Africa. I am proud to share that I have officially qualified to represent my country at the Commonwealth Chess Championship 2026 in Sri Lanka.

I am currently a second-year student at Rosebank College (Cape Town campus), studying Logistics and Supply Chain Management. Balancing my academic responsibilities with competitive chess has not always been easy, but it has taught me discipline, time management, and resilience qualities that I bring both to my studies and to the chessboard.

Chess has been more than just a game in my life it has been a discipline, a teacher and a path that has shaped who I am today. Through years of hard work, competing in tournaments, and constantly striving to improve, I have reached a level where I can now compete on an international stage.

However, making this dream a reality comes with financial challenges. The costs of flights, accommodation, tournament entry fees and travel expenses are significant, and unfortunately, not all of these are cove...