An 11-year-old player from England has rewritten the record books by becoming the youngest woman to qualify for the International Master title. Bodhana Sivanandan achieved this milestone in the last round of the European Club Cup in Budva on Friday, when she defeated Sweden's WIM Viktoria Johansson with the black pieces. She completed her third and final norm in the process, breaking a record that had stood since 1988 when Judit Polgar earned her IM title at age 12.

The speed of Sivanandan's achievement stands out as much as the record itself. Her first IM norm came at the Dole Open in France in July, where she became the youngest girl to earn one. She secured her second norm at the Chess Olympiad in Samarkand in September while playing on England's top board. That same performance also made her the youngest player to meet the requirements for the Woman Grandmaster title, though that award awaits formal approval. Her third norm arrived in Budva with a score of 5.5 out of 7 games.

The season has brought Sivanandan several historic achievements beyond the IM qualification. In August she became the youngest British Women's Champion, and in July she became the youngest girl to defeat a grandmaster rated above 2600. Her rating has now crossed the 2400 threshold required for the title, currently listed at 2406. She trains four times weekly with GM Mert Erdogdu, who joined as her coach in January, and also works with GM John Emms.

Sivanandan has made clear she views the IM title as a stepping stone rather than a destination. She has expressed her ambition to pursue the grandmaster title, which would require three GM norms and a rating of 2500. Her coach described her progress as inevitable given her love for the game and work ethic. Those who have tracked her remarkable trajectory throughout the year see little reason to doubt she will pursue that goal with the same intensity that brought her to this historic moment.