12-year-old Gabriela Harutyunyan is preparing for a significant event in her sports journey – the European Youth Chess Championship 2024.

Gabriela is the 2024 U12 Girls Chess Champion of Armenia, who will be representing the country in the European Championship with sponsorship from Byblos Bank Armenia.

Gabriela started playing chess at the age of 5. She has since excelled in numerous tournaments, securing titles such as the Yerevan U10 Girls Championship, Armenia U10 and U12 Girls Championships, and achieving 4th place in the European U10 Girls category.

Hayk Stepanyan, CEO of Byblos Bank Armenia, expressed enthusiasm about Armenia's strong chess culture.

“We admire Gabriela's skill, dedication and victories. I hope that the support of Byblos Bank Armenia will help Gabriela hone fundamental chess skills, further boost her rating and win another championship title", said Hayk Stepanyan.

The 2024 European Youth Chess Championship is scheduled to be held in Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic, from August 21 to September 1. Gabriela will also represent Armenia at the 2024 World Youth Chess Championship.

“Prioritizing meaningful social impact, Byblos Bank Armenia continues to invest in the most diverse educational projects and support the advancement of talented young people,” the news release says.