The 18th edition of the Olympiad Oware Championship took place on 22nd August 2019 at JW3 in Finchley, North London. Twenty-two players representing five countries participated in this championship. Among these where contingent of mainly junior players from South Korea regulars to the MSO Oware Championship for the past four years. Missing from the line up were the stalwarts of MSO events. However other veteran players from other oware championships were present to compete, as well as a good number of new players to this event.
The championship was fought over five rounds in a quick pace competition, which took part in the afternoon bucking the trend of taking place in the evening in the past two years. The newcomers did their best to put up a fight, but it was not enough to overcome the veterans. For new comers it was truly a baptism of fire but good training for championships to come.
The Juniors did very well with the Gold medallist junior champion Ji-Hwang Jeong placing 5th in the overall competition, with the Silver and Bronze junior medallist Chaewon Ryu and Keonwoo Lee respectively coming in 9th and 10th in the championship. With this performance the veterans have been put on notice for each year these juniors climb up the position table.
This championship saw the recent total dominance of medallist positions of OWS players being broken with the Hyunju Son representing South Korea taking the Silver medal position. Former Gold medallist Glenda Trew coming in Bronze medal position, former Bronze medallist Akash Shah coming fourth and Seth Bonti-Asamoah former silver medallist taking the Gold medal.
