Indian Grandmaster D Gukesh, who recently made history by becoming the youngest-ever world chess champion, celebrated his extraordinary victory in a unique way. Following his thrilling triumph over China’s Ding Liren at the 2024 FIDE World Championship, Gukesh fulfilled a promise he made to his coach, Polish Grandmaster Grzegorz Gajewski: he would conquer his fear of heights by attempting bungee jumping if he won the prestigious title.
Just days after his incredible achievement, Gukesh kept his word and visited Skypark Sentosa in Singapore for his first-ever bungee jump. The 18-year-old had never experienced the thrill of bungee jumping before, but he overcame his fears and went for it, marking another milestone in his journey. The young chess prodigy posted a video of his daring jump on social media, sharing his excitement and a touch of fear. “I did it!” Gukesh captioned the post, which quickly gained massive attention, amassing over 964,000 views and countless likes and comments from fans worldwide.
TAKE A LOOK AT THIS VIDEO:
I did it! pic.twitter.com/FUBpo5m82N
— Gukesh D (@DGukesh) December 16, 2024
In the video, Gukesh admitted he was “scared” about the jump, but his enthusiasm was clear. Despite the nerves, he was excited to face this new challenge, just as he did on the chessboard against Ding Liren. The comments flooded in with fans applauding his courage, with one user writing, “You did it. You made us all proud. You got it in you,” and another remarking, “You Dreamed It And Made It Come True. Much Respect.”
Gukesh’s journey to becoming the World Chess Champion is nothing short of extraordinary. He became only the second Indian to win the coveted title, following the legendary Viswanathan Anand. Gukesh achieved this milestone by defeating Ding Liren in a gripping 14-game contest, with the final score reading 7.5 to 6.5 in his favor. This victory not only earned him the title but also broke a 22-year-old record held by Garry Kasparov for being the youngest-ever world champion at the age of 18 years and 1 month.
During the post-match press conference, Gukesh described his win as the “best moment of his life” and praised Ding Liren, who he said “fought like a true champion.” Ding, on his part, acknowledged the loss but expressed no regrets. He admitted, “I was totally in shock when I realized I made a blunder. I will continue to play. I think I played my best tournament of the year. It could be better, but considering yesterday’s lucky survival, it is a fair result to lose in the end.”
Not only did Gukesh make history with his World Championship victory, but earlier in April, he also became the youngest-ever challenger in the FIDE Candidates Chess Tournament 2024, where he earned the right to compete for the title held by Ding Liren.
For the young champion, this bungee jump was more than just a thrilling adventure; it was a symbol of his courage, determination, and willingness to break boundaries – both in chess and in life.
