Math Olympiad medalists share challenges of competing virtually

MANILA - While the whole country was cheering for the Philippine team in the recently concluded Tokyo Olympics, another local team was silently reaping medals in another olympics— the 62nd International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO).

The country got 6 medals in the Olympiad: 4 silver medals for Immanuel Josiah Balete of St. Stephen's High School; Raphael Dylan Dalida of Philippine Science High School - Main Campus; Steven Reyes of Saint Jude Catholic School; and Bryce Ainsley Sanchez of Grace Christian College.

The Philippines also got 2 bronze medals from Sarji Elijah Bona of De La Salle University - Senior High School; and Vincent Dela Cruz of Valenzuela City School of Mathematics and Science.

They were trained by Dr. Christian Paul Chan Shio, the group’s leader and deputy leader G. Raymond Joseph Fadri, both are from the Mathematical Society of the Philippines (MSP).

According to Dalida, he did not expect to get a medal for his performance.

"Medyo nagulat po ako…I didn't expect ang score ko makakapasok sa silver cut-off...once na lumabas I was really surprised. Masaya po ako doon," he said.

"Super surprised din ako, I think when they announced the cut- off, I think I was watching the opening ng Olympics.. tapos biglang innounce na naka- silver ako. Sobrang nakaka gulat," Reyes also said about his silver medal.

Dela Cruz, for his part, is happy that he got a bronze medal this year.

"Masaya naman ako …kasi last year honorable mention lang ang nakuha ko kaya this year parang improvement siya," he said,

For others, the medals are a good way to end their high school life as they begin their next academic year in college.

"I was really happy after that. My last year I finally managed to get something other than bronze," said Sanchez, who also got a silver medal.

There were 619 math athletes who participated in the 2021 IMO. Each country fielded 6 contestants.

According to Shio, unlike the Olympics where only one or two athletes will get a particular medal, IMO winners are determined based on whether the scores of the participants qualify for the ranking set for each medal.

"All the scores are gathered together, they will see kung ano ang parang median score. Only a maximum of 50% all the contestants would be able to get a medal...Usually mataas ang cut-off scores, they were surprised that the cut off scores were lower than the usual...The problems this year were harder than the previous years," he said.

Both their preparations and the actual IMO were done virtually. The IMO— which is considered an “endurance” math competition— lasted for two days, requiring contestants to answer only 3 but highly complex problems for 4 hours each day.

"They have to write down an argument, a proof. paragraph form pa yan so it’s not just an answer like ’10’, or ’25’. It is more of a reasoning type of contest, rather than speed or short answers competition," Shio explained.

But the medalists admit— their victory and experience competing in the Math Olympiad would have been better had it been face to face.

"We get to travel abroad to other countries, coming together we have fun and we stay there for about ten days. It was supposed to be in Russia this year. Hopefully next year, we can travel. Next year it will be in Oslo, Norway. I really want to go there," said bronze medalist Bona, who is expected to still compete next year.

"The sad thing is hindi ko pa po na-mi-meet ang ibang team members ng face to face kasi nung first time ko makapasok, online na po ang set up because of COVID. So yung nangyari I wasn’t able to meet them while nakapag- bond na sila before," Dalida said.

Training online is also a bit more challenging.

"We are trying out best to emulate the original and traditional classroom set- up," said Fadri.

Unlike the Olympics, the Philippines has won gold medals before in IMO since joining in 1988: first 2 golds in 2016, 1 in 2018 and another one just last year.

"We Filipinos, we are capable of doing really well in math as long as maybe we develop the right type of attitude, of being willing to think and analyze, to continue be patient, have the determination to reach that goal," Shio said.

Unlike the sports Olympiad, the math athletes won’t get millions of pesos in prizes. In fact, their medals will still be sent to them days after winning. But at the very least, the IMO gave the students valuable life skills and even opportunities.

"Yung way of thinking, the way we approach problems, yun yung what we can bring into college," silver medalist Balete said.

"Nakakabukas siya ng ibang doors...May certain universities abroad na kapag ikaw ay IMO medalist, plus na agad yun. So yun na ang nakuha nilang advantage and prize," Shio said.

The country’s math team is supported by the Mathematical Society of the Philippines, the Department of Science and Technology, and the private sector.

• Filipino students haul in 4 silver, 2 bronze medals at International Math Olympiad