BURGAS, Bulgaria — Young math wizards from the Philippines won 33 medals and awards, including a champion trophy, at the Bulgaria International Mathematics Competition (BIMC) held in Burgas, Bulgaria from July 1 to 6.
In the individual contest, they won 1 gold, 4 silver and 11 bronze medals, and 9 merit awards, according to the Mathematics Trainers Guild Philippines (MTG), which trained the students.
In the team and group contests, the country scooped up one champion, two first runners-up and five second runners-up trophies.
The individual contest winners from the Philippines are:
Gold Medal
- Ethan Jared Chan – British School Manila
Silver Medals
- Jose Lorenzo Abad – Philippine Science High School-Main
- John Florence Dizon – Calamba Elementary School
- Lance Heinrich Lim – Saint Jude Catholic School
- Stephen James Ty – Zamboanga Chong Hua High School
Bronze Medals
- Sean Kendrick Yeo – PACE Academy
- Armea Helena Sien Dimayacyac – Notre Dame of Greater Manila
- Frederick Ivan Tan – Philippine Science High School-Main
- Gregory Charles Tiong – Saint Jude Catholic School
- Naomi Anne King – Saint Jude Catholic School
- Maria Monica Manlises – St. Stephen’s High School
- Ralde Anuel Bautista – MGC New Life Christian Academy
- Sarji Elijah Bona – Palawan Hope Christian School
- Sted Micah Cheng – Hope Christian High School
- Vanessa Ryanne Julio – Saint Jude Catholic School
- Justin Teng Soon Khoo – Regional Science High School III
Merit Awards
- Dillion Keller Chan – UNO High School
- Alexandra Brianne Gochian – Saint Jude Catholic School
- Krystal Lim Tiong Soon – Grace Christian College
- Ambrose James Torreon – Rainbow of Angels
- Benjamin Jacob – St. Philomena Academy of Lipa
- Dominic Lawrence Bermudez – Philippine Science High School-Main
- Annika Angela Mei Tamayo – Ateneo de Iloilo
- International Girls’ Team A – Angelene Erika Madrazo – Zamboanga Chong Hua High School
- International Girls’ Team A – Trisha Danielle Sia – Chiang Kai Shek College
In addition, Philippine Team B in high school composed of Abad, King, Manlises and Ty emerged as champion in the group contest and second runner-up in the team contest.
Bermudez, Julio, Khoo, and Tamayo won first runner-up in the team contest while Madrazo also won first runner-up as part of the International Girls Team A.
Also winning second runner-up in the team contest are Jence Enrico Dela Fuente of Ateneo de Naga University Grade School, Benn Jethro Sia of Kong Hua School, Marco Erano Dumale of De La Salle University-Laguna, Dillion Keller Chan, Ethan Jared Chan, Yeo, Dimayacyac, Dizon, Jacob, Lim, Tan, Tiong and Sia.
Ethan Jared Chan said he was shocked when he got a gold medal. “I just checked back at the scoreboard to make sure. I was kind of excited,” he said, adding that he dedicates the award to “Father God who guided me, to my family and friends, and coaches at MTG and British School Manila.”
Team leaders who accompanied the students to BIMC were Dr. Simon Chua, Dr. Isidro Aguilar, Dr. Jonathan Glorial, Minerva Avecilla, Arvie Ubarro and Renard Eric Chua, all of MTG.
“Filipino students showed great performance in the contest and we are proud of their latest achievement. They trained hard for the competition,” according to Aguilar, MTG president.
Joining this year’s contest were 28 countries and territories: Australia, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Cyprus, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iran, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Macau, Malaysia, Mexico, Nepal, Netherlands, Philippines, Romania, Russia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Thailand, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vietnam and Zimbabwe.
Before the contest, Filipino elementary students, who also took part at the BIMC, won at the 1st International Festival Mathematical Triathlon Apollonia held in Sozopol, Bulgaria from June 26 to 30.
Jacob won a gold medal while the silver medalists were Dimayacyac and Dizon. Bronze medalists were Chan, Dela Fuente, Gochian, Torreon and the merit awardees were Sia, Yeo and Lim Tiong Soon.
