Chess and medicine

Zong-Yuan Zhao, a second year student medical student and Australia's Number 1 ranked chess player, was recently in Melbourne coaching the Junior Elite Training Squad (JETS, sponsored by Geraldine Johns-Putra) - a group of very talented young chess players from all over Australia - at the annual training camp.

Zong-Yuan started playing chess when he was six years old. He He has won many national titles, including Australian Junior Champion in 2001 (under age of 18) and the national title (all adults) in 2010. He became Australia's third and youngest grandmaster at the age of 21 while studying the Bachelor of Pharmacy and has been ranked as Australia's number one player for over two years.

Zong-Yuan will represent Australia and Oceania at the World Chess Cup 2011 which will take place between 26 August and 21 September in Khanty Mansiysk, Siberia.