Russian schoolchildren beat the Americans and Koreans at the International Mathematical Olympiad in Oslo, losing only to the Chinese. However, due to sanctions, the silver deserved by Russia was transferred to Korea. But this does not detract from the fact that Russian children — some of the smartest in the world. Last year, our country also took 2nd place in the team.
This time, schoolchildren from Russia won three gold and three silver medals. Over 600 children from more than a hundred countries took part in the competition.
Gold went to Galia Sharafetdinova— graduate of Lyceum No. 131 of Kazan (Republic of Tatarstan), Ivan Bakharev and Maxim Turevsky, graduates of the Presidential Physics and Mathematics Lyceum No. 239 of St. Petersburg. Silver medals were given to a graduate of the St. Petersburg Presidential Physics and Mathematics Lyceum No. 239 Taisiya Korotchenko, a 10th grade student of the St. Petersburg Presidential Physics and Mathematics Lyceum No. 239 Roman Kuznetsovand a graduate of the Moscow Lyceum “Second School” Denis Mustafin.
Sharafetdinova also took 1st place in the overall ranking of the Olympiad. Only ten children in the world who scored the maximum score (six from China, as well as one each from Vietnam, Ukraine, Japan, Russia), and Galia — one of them. By the way, two girls were taken to the Russian team for the first time since 2011.
Aif.ru spoke with the head coach of the Russian team, mathematics teacher of the Presidential Physics and Mathematics Lyceum No. 239 of St. Petersburg Kirill Sukhov.
— Kirill, how did the sanctions affect the participation of our children?
— Russia as a team was removed from the Olympiad, but six schoolchildren were allowed to participate individually, in the same way as at the sports Olympiad — no Russian flag. Therefore, our team, having actually taken second place in terms of points, did not receive it. Because the team was suspended.
— Among our main competitors — China, South Korea and USA. The first is clear. But is mathematics really that strong in the US?
— Olympiad mathematics in the USA is quite well developed. Another thing is that the US team is mainly composed of Chinese. But, nevertheless, they are US citizens and represent this country.
— Last year our guys had 5 gold and one silver medal. Is it a little worse this year? Or is it again because of the sanctions?
— If this year the line for gold and silver medals lay a little differently, then it would again be 5 gold and 1 silver. It is difficult to compare — better or worse, we also took second place in terms of total points. Moreover, two of our students were only 1 point short of the gold medal.
It's not harder to participate remotely, it's just not that interesting, because you don't communicate with other people. In general, just such an additional nuance.
— Why do the Chinese always go around everyone? What is their secret?
— The main secret is that, firstly, there are many more of them. Secondly, they pay a lot of attention to mathematical education. The competition is very serious. Three years ago, when we went to the Chinese Olympiad, our best student was in 21st place in the Chinese National Olympiad.
— How do you select children for a team?
— This is a long multi-step process. The selection begins with the All-Russian Olympiad for schoolchildren. After that, five olympiads and training camps take place, where we teach, give training tasks for olympiads, and select the final team.
— Where did the winners go?
— All our graduates enter mathematics or near-mathematical specialties.
— How to spot a talented child? You once said that the teacher should hear the child and try to understand his thought, and not wait for an answer from him, which is required and known to the teacher himself. Apparently, if all teachers were like that, and there would be more talented children?
— The number of talented children does not change. This talent just needs to be discovered and developed. Not everyone can.
— What can parents do to help their child excel in math?
— The main thing that parents can do — is to love your child. To contribute in every possible way to develop what he succeeds in, to support. It is important to be able to be on time in the educational process. That is, when a child begins to study, be interested in his success. And when he is already doing a lot and, in principle, he himself understands why and what he is doing, do not interfere with him, do not appropriate his successes, do not scold him for failures, etc. Just love and support.
Leaders of the International Mathematical Olympiad in 2022
China — 252 points, 6 gold medals
Republic of Korea— 208 points, 3 gold and 3 silver medals
USA— 207 points, 4 gold, 1 silver and 1 bronze medals
Vietnam— 196 points, 2 gold, 2 silver and 2 bronze medals
Romania — 194 points, 2 gold, 4 silver medals
Russia has 217 points, but this result was not included in the official team standings.
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Источник aif.ru