The 2026 Women’s Chess Olympiad in Samarkand gave us champions, medalists, and unforgettable games.

But beyond the final podium, another story was unfolding. Young girls and women were making their presence felt.

Some won individual gold. Some carried their teams on crucial boards. Some broke records. Others arrived in Samarkand having already made history earlier in the year, and together, their performances gave us something worth celebrating: a glimpse of the future of women's chess.

Here are five queens whose performances stood out.

Lu Miaoyi — The 16-Year-Old Who Owned Board Three

You can't talk about Samarkand's young stars without starting with Lu Miaoyi.
At just 16, the Chinese International Master produced one of the tournament's most impressive individual performances. She scored an incredible 9.5/11 without losing a game, earning individual gold on Board Three with a 2593 performance rating, and she wasn't simply playing for herself.

Lu was part of the Chinese team that went on to win the Women's Olympiad, finishing the tournament unbeaten as a team. China's victory was especially remarkable because several of its biggest stars—including world champion Ju Wenjun and top-ranked Hou Yifan—were absent. The younger generation stepped in, and they delivered.

Lu's performance reminds us that the next generation doesn't always have to wait its turn.

Alice Lee — Quietly Brilliant

At 16, Alice Lee is already one of the most exciting young players in women's chess, and Samarkand gave her another opportunity to show exactly why.

Representing the United States on Board Two, Lee finished the Olympiad unbeaten with 8.5/10, scoring seven wins and three draws. Her 2579 performance rating earned her individual gold on Board Two.
Her list of opponents included strong international players, including Sabrina Vega Gutierrez, Gulrukhbegim Tokhirjonova, and Divya Deshmukh.

There is something beautiful about performances like Alice's. No unnecessary noise, just game after game. Point after point, Consistency becoming excellence.
And at 16, she is only getting started.

Savitha Shri — The Clutch Queen

If there was one player whose story perfectly captured resilience at this Olympiad, it was Savitha Shri B. Making her debut for India's women's team, the 19-year-old was initially the reserve player, but being on the reserve board did not make her impact any smaller.

Savitha scored 9/10, remained unbeaten, and finished with an extraordinary 2599 performance rating, earning individual gold on the reserve board, and when India needed her most, she delivered.

In the final round against Georgia, Savitha fought for hours to save a difficult position and secure a draw. That draw helped India finish the match 2–2 and ultimately secure the women's bronze medal on tiebreak.
That is what makes her story special.

You don't always have to start on the top board to become one of the most important players on the team. Sometimes, you just have to be ready when your moment comes. Savitha was ready.

Bodhana Sivanandan — Eleven and Already Making History

Then there was Bodhana Sivanandan, eleven years old.
Playing Board One for England at the biggest team event in chess, she scored 8/11, with six wins, four draws and just one loss.

During the Olympiad, Bodhana completed the requirements for the Woman Grandmaster title, becoming the youngest player ever to do so at just 11 years, 6 months and 18 days. She also earned her second International Master norm.

And she did it while playing every round on England's top board.

She even drew with 16-year-old European Women's Champion Anastasiia Hnatyshyn and former European champion Nana Dzagnidze during the tournament.
Bodhana's story is bigger than a record. It is about what can happen when a young girl is allowed to sit at the table with the best and simply play.

Anastasiia Hnatyshyn — From European Champion to Olympiad Board One

Before Samarkand, Anastasiia Hnatyshyn had already announced herself. Earlier in 2026, at just 15, the Ukrainian was seeded 76th at the European Women's Championship; she left as the outright European champion, scoring 9/11.

That victory transformed her year. By the time she arrived in Samarkand, she was playing Board One for Ukraine.
She scored 7/10, including wins over players such as Ketevan Arakhamia-Grant, Salomeja Zaksaite and Mobina Alinasab. Her tournament performance rating was 2400.

She also shared the board with another young star, drawing with Bodhana Sivanandan in Round 6.
Anastasiia's journey is a reminder that growth in chess can happen quickly. One tournament can change how the world sees you.

More Queens Who Earned Title Norms in Samarkand

The five women above were not the only players making history in Samarkand.

The 2026 Women’s Chess Olympiad also produced an impressive list of title achievements. Across the tournament, 17 players recorded WIM, WGM, or IM norms, with Bodhana Sivanandan going one step further and completing the requirements for the Woman Grandmaster title.

Here are some of the women who earned title norms:

🏅 WGM Norms

- Khishigbaatar Bayasgalan 🇲🇳 — Mongolia — WGM norm
- Ena Cvitan 🇭🇷 — Croatia — WGM norm
- Elnaz Kaliakhmet 🇰🇿 — Kazakhstan — WGM norm
- Laysa Latifah 🇮🇩 — Indonesia — WGM norm
- Melika Mohammadi 🇮🇷 — Iran — WGM norm
- Mungunzul Bat-Erdene 🇲🇳 — Mongolia — WGM norm
- Aliaksandra Tarasenka 🇧🇾 — Belarus — WGM norm

🏅 WIM Norms

- Mahri Agamuradova 🇹🇲 — Turkmenistan — WIM norm
- Anastasia Avramidou 🇬🇷 — Greece — WIM norm
- Fiorella Contreras Huaman 🇵🇪 — Peru — WIM norm
- Vesna Mihelic 🇸🇮 — Slovenia — WIM norm

🏅 IM Norms

- Anastasiia Hnatyshyn 🇺🇦 — Ukraine — IM norm
- Afruza Khamdamova 🇺🇿 — Uzbekistan — IM norm
- Mariam Mkrtchyan 🇦🇲 — Armenia — IM norm
- Varvara Poliakova 🇧🇾 — Belarus — IM norm
- Alexandra Zherebtsova 🇲🇪 — Montenegro — IM norm

And then there was Bodhana Sivanandan 🇬🇧.

At just 11 years old, she completed her final WGM requirement during the Olympiad, becoming the youngest-ever Woman Grandmaster. She also earned her second IM norm in her final-round victory.

That means Samarkand wasn't just a tournament where medals were won.
It was a tournament where new titles, new milestones, and new possibilities were created.