Team Ireland wins two silver, one bronze medal at International Mathematical Olympiad
Team Ireland has achieved its best-ever result at the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO), the world championship in mathematics for second-level students.
The team of six students from Cork, Dublin and Clare were among 635 mathematicians from 110 countries competing at this year’s event on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, Australia.
Owen Barron (17) from Coláiste an Spioraid Naoimh, Cork, and Tianci Yan (18) from Wesley College, Dublin both won silver medals; and Vitalii Halushko (16) from St Vincent’s Castleknock College earned a bronze medal. Ben Maguire (17), from St. Vincent’s Castleknock College; Jack McAuliffe (17), from St Flannan’s College, Ennis, Co Clare; and Ang Yang Li (18), from The Institute of Education, Dublin, all received Honourable Mentions.
The team was led by Dr Bernd Kreussler (MIC Limerick) and deputy Anca Mustata (UCC), who were joined as an observer by Prof Stephen Buckley (Maynooth University’s) and volunteer trainer Emily Wolfe (UCC).
As well as its record medal haul, Ireland came 42nd overall, its highest-ever ranking by country.
Team Ireland member Owen Barron said: “I find that I improve far more when working in a group instead of alone. The IMT has successfully organised many camps: this year alone there have been at least six in various locations around the country. This support has no doubt enabled me in my success at IMO 2025.”
IMO 2025 will likely be remembered as the competition where artificial intelligence (AI) won its first gold medal – an achievement received with trepidation by many, but also with some disappointment within IMO circles.
Team Ireland’s Anca Mustata said: “To me, the AI result highlights a perennial aspect of intelligence: that it is highly trainable. This should motivate us to invest even more in nurturing the intelligence of our young people, as this will grow intertwined with other profoundly human qualities: inquisitiveness, openness, resilience, a sense of belonging and contributions to community.”
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