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A team of six secondary school students representing Hong Kong has obtained outstanding results at the 52nd International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) held in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, winning two gold medals, one silver medal and three bronze medals. The results set a new IMO medal record for the Hong Kong team, which first participated in the event in 1988.
The gold medallists are Ching Tak-wing and Li Yau-wing and they are students of Queen's College and Ying Wa College respectively. Ching Tak-wing netted three golds in a row in three consecutive years in the IMO. He was also awarded a gold medal and a silver medal at the China Mathematical Olympiad in the past two years. The other gold medallist, Li Yau-wing, who took part in the IMO for the first time, was also awarded a bronze medal at the China Mathematical Olympiad earlier this year.
The silver medallist is Lo Chun-tung of King's College and the bronze medallists are Chow Chi-hong, Tam Ka-yu and Wo Bar-wai. They are students of Bishop Hall Jubilee School, Queen's College and La Salle College respectively.
The IMO was held from July 16 to 24 in Amsterdam. Among the 101 teams in the IMO this year, the Hong Kong team was ranked 14th.
The main objective of the IMO is to promote mathematics education, foster friendly relationships among mathematicians all over the world, and nurture and stimulate the development of mathematically gifted young people. The success of the Hong Kong team this year once again demonstrated the fruitful collaboration between the Education Bureau (EDB), the Hong Kong Academy for Gifted Education (HKAGE) and the International Mathematical Olympiad (Hong Kong) Committee (IMOHKC) in nurturing the mathematically gifted.
Members of the Hong Kong team, sent by the EDB, had performed outstandingly in the 2010 Selection Contest and received nine months of training in a series of enhancement programmes jointly organised by the HKAGE and the IMOHKC.
The HKAGE will continue funding and will continue to hold a large variety of challenging programmes for the gifted while the EDB will continue to provide sponsorship of other Hong Kong teams to join cross-border mathematics competitions. The Fung Hon Chu Education Trust Fund has also set up scholarships for local students who win gold, silver or bronze medals in international Olympiads in mathematics, physics and science. The sponsorships are $3,000 for gold, $2,000 for silver and $1,000 for bronze.
This year, the Hong Kong team leader was Dr Leung Tat-wing of Diocesan Girls' School, and the deputy leader was Mr Bobby Poon from St Paul's College. The observer was Mr Yung Chi-ming, Senior Curriculum Development Officer of the EDB.
For details about the Olympiad, please refer to the websites of the HKAGE (www.hkage.org.hk) and the EDB (www.gifted.hkedcity.net).
Ends/Monday, July 25, 2011
Issued at HKT 16:16
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