After a series of grueling competitions that pitted the best students against one another, six math geniuses from Myanmar have been chosen to enter the 58th International Mathematical Olympiad taking place in Brazil this coming July.
Across the country, eight, ninth, and tenth graders who excelled in math took part in several test rounds at the township, regional, and state levels to determine who would represent Myanmar in the competition. In the end, six winners, all of whom are tenth graders, emerged.
As reported by 7Day, the members of the 2017 Myanmar team, along with their hometowns, are (drumroll please): Khin Khyu Khyu Naing (Yangon), Kaung Kant Kyi (Yangon), Myat Oo Swe (Thanbyuzayat), Ye Man Aung (Myitkina), Wai Yan Moe Lwin (Bago), and Hein Thant Aung (Yangon).
An official from the Ministry of Education told 7Day that the selection of entrants was conducted entirely by the Myanmar Math Olympiad committee, and that the ministry played no part in the process.
A member of the committee confirmed that the entrants had already begun a rigorous practice schedule starting from early May. In fact, a sort of training camp has been set up for them at the Yangon University of Distance Education.
Last year, Myanmar placed 96 out of the 117 countries that competed in the 2016 Math Olympiad held in Hong Kong; it was also the first time in 16 years that Myanmar had participated in the event.
This year’s Olympiad takes place in Rio de Janeiro from July 12-23; the actual contest will be on July 18 and 19.
Feel like you could be an Olympiad entrant? (Or just bored and trapped indoors because of the cyclone?) Here’s one of the questions from last year’s competition:
