Young Filipino students won six medals at the 62nd International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) held from July 14 to 24.
For the second straight year, the IMO was held virtually and hosted by St. Petersburg, Russia due to the ongoing pandemic.
This year, the country won four silver and two bronze medals at IMO. Winning silver medals for the Philippines this year are Bryce Ainsley Sanchez of Grace Christian College, Steven Reyes of Saint Jude Catholic School, Immanuel Josiah Balete of St. Stephen's High School and Raphael Dylan Dalida of Philippine Science High School-Main.
Bagging bronze medals are Sarji Elijah Bona of De La Salle University Senior High School and Vincent Dela Cruz of Valenzuela School of Mathematics and Science.
This is Sanchez’s third IMO, winning bronze medals at the contest held in 2020 and 2019 while it is the first time for Reyes. Besides his silver medal this year, Balete won honorable mention in 2020 and a bronze medal in 2019, and Dalida won a bronze medal last year.
Bona won honorable mention in 2020 while Dela Cruz bagged honorable mention last year and a bronze medal in 2019.
All the Filipino contestants were selected through the Philippine Mathematical Olympiad (PMO). The team officials are Christian Paul Chan Shio, team leader, and Raymond Joseph Fadri, deputy leader, both from Ateneo de Manila University.
Since it started participating at IMO in 1988, the Philippines has won four gold, 16 silver and 35 bronze medals, and 26 honorable mentions.
With this year’s results, the Philippines ranked 23rd among 107 countries. Ranking first among countries and regions this year is China with six gold medals followed by Russian Federation (five gold, one silver), South Korea (five gold, one silver), US (four gold, two silver), Canada (three gold, three silver), Ukraine, Israel, Italy, Taiwan and the United Kingdom.
A total 619 contestants, including 63 females, from 107 countries and regions competed this year at IMO, which awarded 52 gold, 103 silver and 148 bronze medals, and 98 honorable mentions.
In last year’s IMO, the Philippines won one gold medal, two bronze medals and three honorable mentions.