Hong Kong wins gold at Mathematical Olympiad

A student from Sha Tin Government Secondary School has won Hong Kong's first gold medal in the 2004 China Western Mathematical Olympiad in Yinchuan, Ningxia.

The eight-member Hong Kong team also won five silver and two bronze medals. It is Hong Kong's best achievement ever in the Olympiad. Last year the tally was three silver and three bronze medals.

Held September 25-30, the Olympiad was hosted by the China Mathematical Society Olympiad Committee, the Education Bureau of the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region and the region's Science and Technology Society.

Eighty-four mathematically talented secondary students from 21 teams participated in the Olympiad. Hong Kong, Hainan and Kazakhstan were specially invited to join the western provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions in the competition.

"The Olympiad is one of the committee's major efforts in contributing to the development of mathematics in the western regions. It serves to step up the interflow of mathematics education among the western provinces as well as with other regions," the Education and Manpower Bureau said today (October 5).

The Hong Kong team members were selected from the International Mathematical Olympiad -- Hong Kong Preliminary Contest organised by the Support Measures for the Exceptionally Gifted Students Scheme. The scheme provides structured enhancement programmes in mathematics, science and other learning areas to help students develop their full potential.

The team's results:

Gold:
Tsoi Yun-pui S6 Sha Tin Government Secondary School

Silver:
Fong Pok-wai S4 SKH Lam Woo Memorial Secondary School
Chung On-yip S4 Queen Elizabeth School
Ng Kwong-hei S5 La Salle College
Wong Chiu-wai S3 St Joseph's College
Tsang Man-ho S4 Munsang College

Bronze:
Yim Wing-yin S5 South Tuen Mun Government Secondary School
Lee Kar-kwok S5 Diocesan Boys' School

Ends/Tuesday, October 5, 2004