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Morocco wins the team competition of the 2019 Pan African Mathematics Olympiad (PAMO)

Monday, 08 April 2019

Morocco wins the team competition of the 2019 Pan African Mathematics Olympiad (PAMO)

The 27th Pan African Mathematics Olympiad (PAMO) took place in South Africa from 31 March to 6 April 2019. Youssef Chaabouni from Tunisia was crowned the 2019 PAMO individual champion. This year 13 African countries attended with 2 countries sending only Observers for future participation. 57 contestants from 11 African countries took part in the PAMO which was hosted by the South African Mathematics Foundation (SAMF) and the African Institute for Mathematical Science (AIMS) in Muizenberg, Cape Town.

The PAMO is an event of the African Mathematics Union (AMU) organised each year in an African Country where the best pupils in Mathematics at Secondary level who are less than twenty (20) years old, are invited to compete. It aims to encourage development of mathematically talented learners and exchange of information on curricula and good teaching practice in mathematics across the African continent. Contestants wrote two tests consisting of three Olympiad problems each: tough questions requiring insight, ingenuity and logical rigorous proofs.

Countries are ranked by taking the total of the scores of their team members. Morocco was ranked the top team; South Africa was second, followed by Tunisia. Gold, silver and bronze medals are awarded in approximately the ratio 1:2:3. The total number of medals awarded is not more than half of the number of contestants. South Africa won 2 gold medals as both Kgaogelo Bopape and Danielle Kleyn won gold medals. Andi Qu was joint 6th (Silver medal), Emmanuel Rassou joint 16th, Juliette Roux joint 18th (both Bronze) and Alex Sinclair-Smith joint 29th. In PAMO-G, the parallel competition only for girls, Danielle Kleyn won a gold medal and was crowned the Queen of Mathematics for the second year in a row while Juliette Roux won a silver and Alex Sinclair-Smith a bronze medal.

Dylan Nelson, team leader of the South African team congratulates the South African team for a job well done. “The team did exceptionally well and placed second overall, just four points behind the team from Morocco. Kgaugelo Bopape and Danielle Kleyn maintained their strong performance from last year, and were placed third and fourth overall and respectively awarded a gold medal. South Africa was awarded 2 gold medals, 1 silver and 2 bronze medals. The new members of the team performed reasonably well and I have no doubt that they will continue to excel in Mathematics,” said Mr Nelson.

Old Mutual was the main sponsor of the 2019 Pan African Mathematics Olympiad with Swiss Re as cosponsor.

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