Photo Credit: The Guardian
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Bodhana Sivanandan has made chess history at just 11 years old. The British schoolgirl became the youngest player ever to earn the Woman Grandmaster title. She reached the milestone while representing England at the 46th Chess Olympiad. The Olympiad took place in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. Sivanandan played all 11 rounds on England’s top board. She finished the tournament with eight points. More importantly, she secured the third and final norm required for the WGM title. FIDE confirmed the historic achievement. Sivanandan’s achievement breaks a record that had stood for more than two decades. Kateryna Lagno previously held the record. She earned the WGM title in 2002 at age 12.
China’s Hou Yifan also earned the WGM title at 12. However, Sivanandan reached the milestone even earlier. That distinction makes her the youngest player ever to qualify for the Woman Grandmaster title. The achievement adds another chapter to Sivanandan’s remarkable rise. She first discovered chess during the COVID-19 lockdown. An old chessboard at home sparked her interest in the game. She initially wanted to play with the pieces as toys. Soon, however, she became fascinated by the game itself. Sivanandan taught herself chess by watching tutorials on YouTube. She then began competing in tournaments. Her first tournament came at Harrow Chess Club in July 2021. Her progress accelerated from there.
At the 2022 European Schools Championship, she won all 24 of her games. She achieved that result at only seven years old. Sivanandan continued breaking records as her competition became tougher. In 2023, she became the youngest player to avoid defeat against a grandmaster. She accomplished that at the European Rapid and Blitz tournaments in Croatia. Then, in 2024, England selected her for its Chess Olympiad team. She became the youngest person to represent England internationally in any sport, according to reports. Her progress continued into 2025. At the British Chess Championships, Sivanandan defeated Grandmaster Peter Wells. She was only 10 years old at the time.
That victory added another remarkable achievement to her growing résumé. It also showed her ability to compete against far more experienced players. Then came another major milestone in 2026. Sivanandan became Britain’s youngest-ever Women’s Chess Champion. She won the title at the British Chess Championships in Coventry. She defeated Ireland’s Trisha Kanyamarala in a rapid playoff. Kanyamarala was only 14 years old herself. Now, Sivanandan has added the WGM title to that championship. However, she has no plans to stop there. The Woman Grandmaster title represents the highest FIDE title specifically designated for women. The open Grandmaster title remains a separate achievement.
Sivanandan is already working toward that goal. She earned her second International Master norm during the Chess Olympiad. The International Master title remains open to players of any gender. Players need three qualifying norms and the required rating to earn it. Sivanandan therefore has another significant target ahead. She wants to become a full Grandmaster as soon as possible. That goal also explains why the WGM title feels like another step rather than an endpoint. The youngest player to earn the open Grandmaster title remains Abhimanyu Mishra. The American achieved that milestone at 12 years, four months and 25 days in 2021. Meanwhile, Guinness World Records lists Hou Yifan as the youngest female player to achieve the open Grandmaster title. She reached that mark at 14 years and 184 days in 2008.
Sivanandan continues to balance chess with school. She attends school full-time while traveling for major competitions. She also studies music, including violin and piano. That schedule makes her rapid rise even more notable. At only 11, Sivanandan has already competed on some of chess’s biggest stages. She has won national championships and defeated elite opponents. Now, she owns a record that will become part of chess history. Still, the young star appears focused on what comes next. Her WGM achievement marks a remarkable milestone. Yet her pursuit of the open International Master and Grandmaster titles continues. For now, though, Bodhana Sivanandan can celebrate a record that belongs entirely to her. At 11 years old, the British schoolgirl has become the youngest Woman Grandmaster in chess history.
Author Profile
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Bradley Walker (VP) and Head of our Florida operations for NGSC Sports, bringing extensive experience across collegiate, professional, and amateur athletics. His coverage spans USF Athletics, including football, baseball, lacrosse, and softball, as well as University of Tampa baseball.
Bradley also provides coverage of minor league baseball with the Clearwater Threshers and Major League Baseball with the Tampa Bay Rays. On the national stage, he covers college football bowl games and conference championship matchups, along with premier golf events across the PGA Tour, LIV Golf, and LPGA Tour.
In addition to his reporting work, Bradley is the play-by-play announcer for Pinellas Park High School Patriots football, lending his voice and insight to Friday night lights.
He is also an active podcast host and contributor, serving as a host on The Walker Report, where he delivers in-depth sports analysis, interviews, and coverage across multiple levels of competition.
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