{{Short description|American chess player (born 2012)}} {{Infobox chess player |name=Megan Paragua |image= |image_size= |caption= |full_name= |country=United States |birth_date=10 Dec 2012 |birth_place=New York, United States |title=FIDE Master (2025)<br>Woman International Master (2026) |peakrating=2300 (August 2025)<ref name=fidehistory>{{cite web|url=https://ratings.fide.com/profile/30973007|title=FIDE Ratings History |access-date=30 May 2024}}</ref> |FideID=30973007 }} '''Megan Althea Paragua''' (born December 10, 2012) is a Filipino American FIDE Master. She is a double gold medal winner in the FIDE World Cadet Rapid and Blitz Championships.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lang |first=J. J. |date=29 April 2024 |title=Megan Paragua Earns Double-Gold, Aiden Li Earns Blitz Gold at FIDE World Cadet Rapid and Blitz |url=https://new.uschess.org/news/megan-paragua-earns-double-gold-aiden-li-earns-blitz-gold-fide-world-cadet-rapid-and-blitz |access-date=2024-05-30 |website=US Chess.org |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Tagala |first=Don |date=11 May 2024 |title=Young Fil-Am eyes more victories after world chess championship win |url=https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/2024/5/10/young-fil-am-eyes-more-victories-after-world-chess-championship-win-003 |access-date=30 May 2024 |website=ABS-CBN News}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last1=Carbonilla |first1=Hans |last2=dagacer |date=2024-04-29 |title=11-year-old Fil-Am chess prodigy bags gold in world championship |url=https://usa.inquirer.net/148831/young-fil-am-chess-prodigy-bags-gold-in-world-cadet-rapid-blitz-championship |access-date=2024-05-30 |website=INQUIRER.net USA |language=en}}</ref>
== Biography== Megan Althea Obrero Paragua was born in New York, to parents Jan Vincent and Jennifer Obrero-Paragua, both from Marilao, Bulacan, Philippines. She is the niece of Mark Paragua, a Filipino chess grandmaster.<ref>{{Cite web |last=West |first=Vanessa |date=2024-05-21 |title=2024 Kids vs. Stars Episode 1: Atwell, Paragua Beat Nemo, Cramling |url=https://www.chess.com/news/view/2024-kids-vs-stars-atwell-paragua |access-date=2025-11-02 |website=Chess.com |language=en-US}}</ref> She is currently studying in Columbia Grammar Preparatory School, New York City.
== Chess career ==
Megan placed 3rd in the Weeramantry National Blitz Tournament, next to Eric Feng and Advaith Vijayakumar, as she scored 6.5 out of 8 points in the 1800-2199 section with 5 wins and 3 draws.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-07-30 |title=Megan Paragua places 3rd in US blitz chess tournament |url=https://www.manilatimes.net/2023/07/30/sports/megan-paragua-places-3rd-in-us-blitz-chess-tournament/1903121 |access-date=2024-06-01 |website=The Manila Times |language=en}}</ref>
At the age of 10, she achieved the title of Woman FIDE (International Chess Federation) Master at the 33rd Pan-American Youth Chess Festival 2023, which took place in Chicago, Illinois.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=2023-08-21 |title=10-year-old Filipino American to receive Woman FIDE Master chess title after tournament win |url=https://www.yahoo.com/news/10-old-filipino-american-receive-171417997.html |access-date=2024-06-01 |website=Yahoo News |language=en-US}}</ref>
During the FIDE World Rapid & Blitz Cadet Chess Championship 2024, she won the gold on both the Rapid and Blitz U12 Girls Division held in Durres, Albania, making her the first Filipino to win in both categories.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Awards and Winners – World Cadet Rapid and Blitz 2024 |url=https://worldcadetrb2024.fide.com/2024/04/28/awards-and-winners/ |access-date=2024-05-30 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Llavenes, Jr. |first=Dave |date=2024-05-09 |title=Fil-Am Megan Paragua makes history, wins double gold in world chess tournament |url=https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/sports/othersports/906309/fil-am-megan-paragua-makes-history-wins-double-gold-in-world-chess-tournament/story/ |access-date=2024-05-30 |website=GMA News Online |language=en}}</ref>
== References == <!-- Inline citations added to your article will automatically display here. See en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WP:REFB for instructions on how to add citations. --> {{reflist}}
== External links ==
* {{FIDE|id=30973007}} * [https://www.365chess.com/players/Megan_Althea_Paragua Megan Paragua] chess games at 365Chess.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Paragua, Megan}} Category:Living people Category:2012 births Category:Chess FIDE Masters Category:Chess Woman International Masters Category:American female chess players Category:American people of Filipino descent Category:Sportspeople of Filipino descent Category:21st-century American chess players Category:21st-century American sportswomen