Cuban-Guyanese Maria Varona-Thomas has become the first Woman FIDE Master (WFM) from Guyana, following her successful participation at the 42nd Chess Olympiad in Baku, Azerbaijan. 
Maria contested the required number of 11 games and accumulated eight points; seven victories and two draws (a win = 1 point; a draw = 1/2 point; a loss = 0 point). Altogether, Maria placed 21st in the final standings of 663 women players who participated in the Olympiad.
Guyana’s women attended their maiden Olympiad, while the men had