The St Helena Primary School produced a standout performance at the 2026 Free State Closed Chess Championships, held on 25 July and organised by Lejweleputswa Chess. The invitation‑only tournament brought together the province’s strongest young players across the Mangaung, Lejweleputswa and Thabo Mofutsanyana districts.
Strong provincial showing and national ambitions
A total of 181 players, from under‑8 to under‑20 categories, competed for provincial honours and the chance to represent the Free State at the upcoming Mzansi Youth Inter‑Provincial Chess Championships. St Helena was represented by 10 invited learners, of whom six finished inside the top 10 of their age groups.
Leading the charge was Olam Majola, the current Free State under‑12 champion and the province’s highest‑rated junior player with a rating of 1 622. According to the reporting, Majola’s rating is higher than many older age‑group players in the province, and he is supported by a team of four coaches—two local and two online coaches based in Cape Town and Rustenburg—preparing him for the national stage.
Other notable performers from St Helena included:
- Chereé Gerber — 1st place, Free State U10 champion
- Olam Majola — 1st place, Free State U12 champion
- Makhosanda Pepile — 3rd place, U12 boys
- Zoe Majola — 5th place, U12
- Ibilola Adeyemi — 7th place, U12 girls
- Chante Gerber — 4th place, U14 girls
The top‑10 finishers from each age group have earned spots to represent the Free State at the national inter‑provincial event later this year.
Local development and coaching model
The school’s success is closely linked to the work of Memme Majola, who is secretary of Lejweleputswa Chess and the chess coordinator at St Helena. In 2025 she founded the Lejweleputswa Legends Chess Club with the explicit goal of identifying and nurturing chess talent across the district.
According to the report, the club focuses on early talent identification, regular coaching and exposure to higher‑level competition. That approach is reflected in the composition of the coaching team around Majola’s top player and the multiple top finishes at provincial level.
What this means for the Free State chess pipeline
The results from the Closed Championships indicate a growing competitive base in Lejweleputswa that could feed into provincial and national squads. Having multiple learners from one primary school finish in the top 10 highlights the potential for concentrated development programmes in district hubs.
For parents and community members interested in supporting young chess players, the Lejweleputswa Legends Chess Club provides a structured avenue for training and competition. Players earning provincial selection will test their skills at the Mzansi Youth Inter‑Provincial Chess Championships, where they will face counterparts from other provinces.
| Player | Category | Finish |
|---|---|---|
| Chereé Gerber | U10 | 1st |
| Olam Majola | U12 | 1st |
| Makhosanda Pepile | U12 boys | 3rd |
| Zoe Majola | U12 | 5th |
| Ibilola Adeyemi | U12 girls | 7th |
| Chante Gerber | U14 girls | 4th |
These results underline the role local coordinators and clubs can play in producing competitive young players in a relatively short time, provided there is sustained coaching and opportunities for competition.
As the province prepares to send a team to the national inter‑provincial championships, attention will turn to how coaches and district structures can support players as they transition from provincial success to national competition.
For district organisers, the next steps include confirming provincial squads, arranging further training camps and ensuring players have access to regular high‑quality opposition to sharpen their skills ahead of the nationals.
