Local team succeeds in global math contest

A team of high school students from Macau have won a gold and a silver medal at the 57th International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO), which was held in Hong Kong. This achievement marks the first time in 25 years that a team from the region has won a gold medal at the competition.
Led by Leong Ieng Tak and Wan Lung Yam from the Department of Mathematics at the University of Macau (UM) Faculty of Science and Technology, the Macau team was comprised of six students selected from an earlier local competition.
Two students from the local team won gold and silver medals, while the other four students were each awarded with an honorable mention.
According to UM’s press release, Leong and Wan conducted a month-long special training program for the participating students. Leong also invited the Portuguese team to Macau for a three-day training session before the competition.
UM’s Department of Mathematics has provided various kinds of mathematical training for local students, which has resulted in numerous awards at international competitions, said UM in a statement.
Launched in 1959, the International Mathematical Olympiad is the oldest and largest mathematics competition in the world. Held annually in a different country each year, the competition aims to provide a platform for young students to showcase their talent for mathematics. It is hailed as a ‘cradle of future mathematicians’.