Maths Olympiad: Brazil Loses Title of Most Awarded Latin American Country to Peru

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Brazil won six medals at the 60th International Mathematics Olympiad (IMO 2019), held in the city of Bath, United Kingdom, between July 11th and 22nd, two of which were silver and four bronze.

The Brazilian delegation totaled 135 points, which earned them the twenty-ninth place, tied with Turkey but behind Peru.

The silver medals were won by Samuel Prieto Lima, from Goiânia, and Pedro Gomes Cabral, from Recife, while the bronze medals were awarded to Bernardo Peruzzo Trevizan, from Canoas (RS); Pedro Lucas Lanaro Sponchiado, from Santa Cruz do Rio Pardo (SP); Guilherme Zeus Dantas e Moura, from Maricá (RJ); and Felipe Chen Wu, from Rio de Janeiro.

The team comprised medalists from the 40th Brazilian Mathematics Olympiad (OBM), held in the country last year, and was led by teachers Edmilson Motta and Carlos Shine, from São Paulo.

Satisfaction

Professor Edmilson Motta told Agência Brasil that he was “very pleased” with the result, “because everyone won medals.”

IMO 2019 registered a total of 621 high school students from 112 countries, between fourteen and nineteen years old. Each country sends a team of up to six students.

Professor Motta explained that the Brazilian group was in the higher-performing half and, consequently, fit to win medals.

“We see countries with the best education in the world present. It was a very good result,”  he reiterated.

He expressed his disappointment that Brazil had not won a gold medal this time around, as it did last year. “We always have this expectation, but the result was very satisfactory, considering the team’s achievement.”

Essential Subject

Edmilson Motta stated that knowledge of mathematics is essential in all areas. “The mastery of the numerical and analytical methods that mathematics has so much in its essence is fundamental to any area that you want to develop.”

“No matter what your area of interest, whether it is exact, biological or human, knowing mathematics will help make you a more knowledgeable person within your area of interest. Moreover, as a citizen, you can have a much more critical view if you have that analytical insight that mathematics provides. It’s a precious knowledge”.

The International Mathematics Olympiad was first held in Romania in 1959. Brazil has been taking part in the competition since 1979, accumulating ten gold medals, 45 silver medals, and 81 bronze medals since then.

At that time, only 16 countries competed. Until last year, Brazil held the title of the most awarded Latin American country in the tournament.

The title was lost this year to Peru.

Frequency

In 2020, the event will take place in St. Petersburg, Russia. Edmilson Motta said three of the boys who represented Brazil this year are candidates for the coming year. “The teams are renewed, and new youths enter. We intend to climb the ranking and get gold medals more often.”

The teacher estimates that winning a gold medal every five years is a low frequency. “It’s not that good, considering our country’s national team.”

“The goal is to win a gold medal every year. Brazil needs to make a performance leap.”