South Africa’s national team, comprising of six mathletes, has achieved third place in the Pan African Mathematics Olympiad (Pamo).
The event, including 31 participating countries across Africa, took place in Rwanda from Saturday 13 to Monday 22 May.
Handpicked by the South African Mathematics Foundation (SAMF), the team of high school learners showcased their problem-solving skills, mathematical prowess, and determination at the competitive event.
The team included Eli Williams (Grade 9, Westerford High School), Ellen Grant-Smith (Grade 10, Westerford High School), Hugo Bruwer (Grade 12, Hoër Jongenskool Paarl), Jana Rossouw (Grade 11, Hoërskool Jim Fouché), Moied Baleg, (Grade 10, The Settlers High School) and Yian Xu (Grade 10, Redhill School). Their team leaders were Pamo alumni Kerry Porrill and Dylan Nelson.
SAMF selected the teams from the best participants in the previous year’s SA Mathematics Olympiad (a national mathematics competition).
Williams, Grant-Smith, Bruwer, Rossouw and Xu each received a silver medal, while Baleg received a bronze medal.
The top-ranking countries were Morocco in first place, Algeria in second, followed by South Africa in third.
People’s Post recently caught up with the two Westerford learners.
Eli says he always enjoyed maths.
“But I didn’t think of myself as particularly talented. Then when I was in Grade 5 (in 2019) I made it to the final round of the Association for Mathematics Education of South Africa’s maths competition. They flew up all the winners to an awards ceremony in Jo’burg. That’s a big deal for an 11-year-old.”
With his dad in tow, they set off to the city of gold.
Eli says that was when he first realised there was so much opportunity within the world of maths to explore.
A year later, Covid-19 hit.
“We had lots of time at home, I had more time to do even more of this kind of maths. Then I also discovered Kahn Academy’s free learning website which helped me go further with understanding certain math concepts and helped me go further with school maths.”
He attended his first Stellenbosch Maths Camp (hosted by SAMF) in 2021.
“That’s when I was properly introduced to a whole new world of Olympiad Maths (maths that has to do with complex problem solving – using creative thinking and proofs to find the answers). I found this so much more enjoyable than conventional maths and have loved it ever since.”
In terms of preparing specifically for Pamo, the 15-year-old says he has been fortunate to go on several maths camps.
“On these camps, we spend hours and hours learning new ideas, attending lectures and writing multiple tests. Over and above these camps, I spend a lot of my free time doing past papers, tackling interesting problems I find, and reading online books that deal with Olympiad maths problems.”
He says what motivates him is his sheer enjoyment of maths, “along with my motivation to make it into these top teams and get to represent my country at the highest level. I really just enjoy maths”.
On his participation in Pamo and his trip to Rwanda, Eli says it was so interesting to meet so many people from different countries.
“It felt like we were all equally excited to be there. In the final awards ceremony, being awarded a silver medal, and being placed third overall (as a country) was a real highlight.”
While in Rwanda, the team also enjoyed some local sights.
“The people were really friendly, there are so many motorbikes on the roads! Lots of hills and lush green vegetation. We also got to go to the Rwandan Genocide memorial and that was really impactful.”
Ellen also lists the visit to the memorial as one of her most memorable experiences in Rwanda. That, and the country’s green beauty.
The 16-year-old shares she started participating in maths competitions in junior school, around Grade 5 or Grade 6.
“But about a year-and-a-half ago, I started getting proper training. Since then I have been working hard, practising maths, and going to weekly training.”
She says what keeps her motivated is her enjoyment of maths and her desire to get better at it. When asked what stood out the most for her about participating in the Olympiad, she says, besides the maths, it was meeting new people from across Africa.
“People who were so different, yet we all had something in common.”
