Maths whizzes do HK proud in mainland contest
A team of secondary school students have won Hong Kong's first-ever gold at the China Mathematical Olympiad.
The six students captured one gold, two silver and three bronze medals - the city's best result at the national competition held in Chongqing from January 20 to 25.
Ching Tak-wing, a Form Six student from Queen's College, won the gold medal, and also gained the second-highest score among some 200 participants.
Last July, Tak-wing struck gold at the International Mathematical Olympiad in Germany. With the latest honour, he has become the first Hong Kong student to win consecutive gold medals at national and international mathematics competitions.
The silver medallists in Chongqing were Chung Ping-ngai, a Form Six student from La Salle College, and Yip Hok-pan, a seventh former from Ying Wa College. Yu Tak-hei (Form Five, La Salle College), Li Yau-wing (Form Four, Ying Wa College), and Ng Ngai-fung (Form Seven, STFA Leung Kau Kui College) each won a bronze.
The annual competition is organised by the China Mathematical Society Olympiad Committee.
This year's event was hosted by the Chongqing Nankai Middle School.
The contest aims to cultivate young people's interest in mathematics, as well as provide the participants an opportunity to improve their skills by competing with talented students from the region.
A total of 223 gifted secondary school students from 35 teams took part in the Olympiad. They included students from the mainland, Hong Kong, Macau, Russia and Singapore.
