A 101th+ place finish at 9 years old in the 12th Malaysian Open doesn't necessarily scream "prodigy." It suggests early interest and participation, but not immediate dominance.

Gradual Development: 

His initial progress might have been slower, indicating a strong foundation built through practice and learning. I am sure many who took part in the Malaysian Open and Selangor Open would be boasting about beating Gukesh then as he did lose many games at that time.

Later Surge: 

The meteoric rise to Grandmaster at 12 suggests a period of rapid improvement and exceptional talent emerging. His interest never waivered and neither did his parent's dedication in terms of work sacrifice and pouring resources like time and money into his chess career.

Hope for Improvement:

Gukesh's story offers encouragement to aspiring chess players like myself. Gukesh didn't have natural talents at a young age. It was all nurtured and developed with hard play against other strong chess players. 

Gukesh's journey highlights the value of perseverance and focused training. While natural talent might be a factor, significant improvement can come later through hard work.