"The World Junior Championship used to be a high-prestige event; it is much less so these days."
What time are you referring to? If my memory serves right, the last time when a 2700+ player participated was Vachier-Lagrave in 2009 - winning on tiebreak. Earlier world junior champions include Mamedyarov (twice) and Aronian, the most prominent later ones would probably be Andreikin, Yu Yangyi, Xiong and Maghsoodloo (not quite world top later). One year got quite some media attention because Praggnanandhaa - at the time trying to break Karjakin's record - might have scored a GM norm or even a direct title by winning the event, he didn't manage.
According to "the Twittersphere" (don't remember who said so), Esipenko decided to participate at the last moment: He didn't want to return to Russia after the European Club Cup because he might have to enter military service.
Now there's also overlap with other events, Aimchess Rapid and US championships - though it's doubtful whether players (besides Gukesh, Abdusattorov, Keymer and Niemann also Liang and Yoo) would otherwise play the world junior championship.
The girls' event seemed to be generally more prestigious: winners since 2010 include Anna Muzychuk, Gorycahkina (twice), Saduakassova, Abdmualik and Shuvalova - now girls #1 Zhu Jiner is playing in the open section.
Appears that Esipenko even missed the first round. Interesting.
"The World Junior Championship used to be a high-prestige event; it is much less so these days."
What time are you referring to? If my memory serves right, the last time when a 2700+ player participated was Vachier-Lagrave in 2009 - winning on tiebreak. Earlier world junior champions include Mamedyarov (twice) and Aronian, the most prominent later ones would probably be Andreikin, Yu Yangyi, Xiong and Maghsoodloo (not quite world top later). One year got quite some media attention because Praggnanandhaa - at the time trying to break Karjakin's record - might have scored a GM norm or even a direct title by winning the event, he didn't manage.
According to "the Twittersphere" (don't remember who said so), Esipenko decided to participate at the last moment: He didn't want to return to Russia after the European Club Cup because he might have to enter military service.
Now there's also overlap with other events, Aimchess Rapid and US championships - though it's doubtful whether players (besides Gukesh, Abdusattorov, Keymer and Niemann also Liang and Yoo) would otherwise play the world junior championship.
The girls' event seemed to be generally more prestigious: winners since 2010 include Anna Muzychuk, Gorycahkina (twice), Saduakassova, Abdmualik and Shuvalova - now girls #1 Zhu Jiner is playing in the open section.