GMZong-Yuan Zhao

Zhao Zong-Yuan was born in Beijing in 1986 and grew up in Coffs Harbour, Australia. He became an IM at fourteen and won the Australian junior championship in 2001. His early senior successes included the 2004 Doeberl Cup and the 2007 Australian Open. He won the Oceania zonal in 2007, qualifying for a World Cup first-round match against Magnus Carlsen.

Zhao earned all three GM norms within two months in December 2007 and January 2008, becoming Australia's third grandmaster. He played first board for Australia at the 2008 and 2010 Olympiads. He won another Oceania championship in 2011 and competed in that year's World Cup. Alongside chess, he completed a pharmacy degree at the University of Sydney.