Filipino ‘mathletes’ bag 27 medals

MANILA, Philippines—Filipino numbers aces won 27 medals in the 10th World Youth Invitational Mathematics Intercities Competition held recently in Durban, South Africa.

With four silver and 23 bronze medals, the 13-member Philippine contingent placed fourth in the 18-nation contest, according to Dr. Simon Chua, president and cofounder of Mathematics Trainers’ Guild (MTG) Philippines and head of the delegation.

The silvers were won by Filipino “mathletes” Geraldine Baniqued from St. Paul College-Pasig, Arielle Elise Chua from St. Jude Catholic School, Russell Virata from Gideon Academy, and Zheng Rong Wu from Zamboanga Chong High School.

Baniqued, Zheng and Virata also won individual bronze medals, along with Vance Eldric Go from St. Jude Catholic School, Elvis Jeremy Ayroso from Philippine Science High School, Matthew Chris Chan from St. Stephen’s High School, and Sarah Jane Cua from Pangasinan Universal Institute.

In the team competitions, Baniqued, Zheng, Virata and Chua also won bronze medals.

The other bronze medalists were Adrian Raphael Co from Xavier School, Ostin John Ong from Bacolod Trinity Christian School, Paolo Manuel Iyulores of Ateneo de Manila high school, Janssen Kotah from Philippine Cultural College, Hanz Vladimir Cabanes from Zamboanga Chong Hua High School, and Sarah Jane Cua from Pangasinan Universal Institute.

Aside from the medals, Ayroso, Co, Ong, Chua, Iyulores, Kotah and Cabanes also received merit awards.

A total of 228 high school students competed in this year’s contest, which was topped by math aces from China, Singapore and Thailand. –Jerry E. Esplanada, Philippine Daily Inquirer