All six members of the Philippine contingent to the 58th International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) each won a medal — three silvers and three bonzes — to maintain its all-time highest rank of number 17 out of 111 countries that participated in what is regarded as the grandest stage of mathematics.
Despite falling short of a gold medal after winning two last year, the national team held strong by bringing home a staggering six total medals against 600 other contestants. The team arrived from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on Tuesday, July 25.
Leading the medal haul are Kyle Patrick Dulay of Philippine Science High School — Main Campus, Albert John Patupat of De la Salle University Integrated School, and Farrel Eldrian Wu of MGC New Life Christian Academy who all garnered silver medals.
Meanwhile, Shaquille Wyan Que of Grace Christian College, Sean Anderson Ty of Zamboanga Chong Hua High School, and Clyde Wesley Ang of Chiang Kai Shek College secured bronze medals to complete the medal haul.
Team leader Dr. Richard Eden of Ateneo de Manila University, and deputy team leader Dr. Louie John Vallejo of University of the Philippines Diliman, both from the Mathematical Society of the Philippines (MSP), guided the team in the competition.
Department of Science and Technology — Science Education Institute (DOST-SEI) director Josette Biyo welcomed the team upon their arrival and congratulated them for maintaining “an equally best performance” from the previous year.
“The science community had high hopes after our great feat last year and our team certainly did not disappoint us. We performed very well and maintained a very high ranking. These kids are truly among the best in the world and we are very proud of them,” she said.
DOST-SEI, along with MSP, jointly organized the country?s participation to the IMO, as well as the Math Olympiad Summer Camp held in February that served as the training ground for the team.
There, 22 national finalists from the 2017 Philippine Mathematical Olympiad were screened for the six slots in the Philippine Team. The major sponsors of the team are Hyundai Asia Resources, Inc. Foundation, and Manulife Business Processing Services.
