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A team of secondary school students has won two silvers, two bronzes and an honourable mention for Hong Kong at the 44th International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) in Tokyo, Japan.

The IMO was held from July 11 to 19 and participated by 82 teams of up to six members from various countries and territories.

The main theme for this year was to foster friendly international relationships with fellow mathematicians all over the world, and to discover, encourage and challenge mathematically gifted young people, and to promote mathematics education.

Hong Kong has been taking part in the IMO since 1988. In collaboration with the IMO Hong Kong Committee, the Education and Manpower Bureau (EMB) organises the annual event, IMO Preliminary Selection Contest - Hong Kong, as one of the measures to challenge and nurture the mathematically gifted students.

Series of structured enhancement programmes are arranged through the Support Measures for the Exceptionally Gifted Students Scheme of EMB for the high achieving students at the contest before they are nominated to take part in the IMO.

This year's Hong Kong team was led by Dr Leung Tat-wing of the IMO Hong Kong Committee, who also took an active part in staging training programmes for the students.

 The list of medallists from Hong Kong is as follows:

 Silver Mr Kwok Tsz-chiu from Secondary Five of Yuen Long 

 Merchants Association Secondary School

 Mr Yu Hok-pun from Secondary Seven of SKH Bishop 

 Baker Secondary School

 Bronze Mr Siu Tsz-hang from Secondary Seven of STFA Leung 

 Kau Kui College

 Mr Yeung Kai-sing from Secondary Six of La Salle 

 College

 Honourable Mention Mr Chung Tat-chi from Secondary Six of 

 Queen Elizabeth School

Among the 82 participating teams, Bulgaria ranked top, China and United States of America got the first and second runners-up respectively, followed by Vietnam and Russia. Hong Kong ranked 23rd, on a par with Argentina, outperforming Greece, Spain, Singapore, Belgium, Indonesia, Mexico, Norway, Sweden, Italy, New Zealand, Austria, Netherlands, Denmark, Switzerland and many others.

The IMO award presentation ceremony was held on July 19 and was officiated by His Imperial Highness The Crown Prince of Japan, Naruhito Kotashi.

End/Thursday, July 31, 2003

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