The winning Isabela students in the Thailand International Mathematical Olympiad: Richdayne Earth Dwight Tumamao (left) and Jay Lord Ugaddan (right). (Photos by Villamor Visaya Jr.)
TUMAUINI, Isabela — Two Isabela students representing the country bagged top awards in the final round of this year’s International Math Olympiad in Thailand.
Jay Lord Ugaddan, 17, was a gold medalist in the competition, which has been touted as one of the world’s most respected mathematics events, while Richdayne Earth Dwight Tumamao, also 17, earned a silver medal.
They are graduating Grade 12 students of the Regional Science High School in Arcon village here.
The Thailand International Mathematical Olympiad (TIMO) is an annual competition that has drawn the participation of 14 countries, among them China, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Ukraine, Iran, Taiwan, Vietnam, Myanmar, and Cambodia.
The competitors have to solve puzzles involving logical thinking, algebra, number theory.
Tumamao said they did not expect to win because “no math training for international competitions is available in the Cagayan Valley region.”
But the two have always been excellent in math “ and the school is proud of their feat,” said their school principal Evelyn Bumanglag.
Organizers of the Math Olympiad describe the event as “a platform to stimulate and foster young people’s interest in learning mathematics, to strengthen the ability of their creative thinking, to widen their international perspective, and to promote the development of primary and secondary education and exchange of educational cultures throughout countries or regions.” the organizers added.