Team USA Takes First Place in the International Math Olympiad

Washington, DC, August 07, 2024 --(PR.com)-- Weeks before the Paris Olympic torch was lit, the US took first place in Bath, England, at the 2024 International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO). The last time the USA placed first was in 2019.

The six members, Jordan Lefkowitz, 17 (Connecticut); Krishna Pothapragada, 18 (Illinois); Jessica Wan, 18 (Florida); Alexander Wang, 16 (New Jersey); Qiao (Tiger) Zhang, 16 (California); and Linus Tang, 18 (California); were chosen for the team after performing the best in the American Mathematics Competitions (AMC), a series of competitions run by the Mathematical Association of America (MAA). Jessica Wan's inclusion marks a significant milestone. She is the first young woman to join the USA IMO team since 2007.

Team USA secured first place with a total score of 192 points. Notably, the US team members Alexander Wang and Jessica Wan achieved individual rankings of third and fifth, respectively. For the second and third places, China and South Korea took the honors. China scored 190 points, securing second place, while South Korea scored 168 points, coming in third.

Over 150,000 students from across the country participate in the AMC every year. The MAA could not facilitate this annual competition cycle without the dedication of the thousands of committed competition managers, the dedicated team of mathematicians who develop the problems, the support of our program sponsors, and the vast community of students, parents, and MAA members who love and value this program.

Michael Pearson, Executive Director of the MAA, says, “We are thankful for our network of dedicated teachers who help us reach tens of thousands of students each year. We remain committed to providing inclusive access to high-quality mathematical problem-solving experiences while preserving the integrity of the MAA AMC program."

It’s been a trying year for the AMC. In the early stages of the competition cycle, there were allegations of cheating and evidence of leaks in the entry-level competitions. With the integrity of the competition of the utmost importance, the MAA adapted to make security changes in real time while also planning for increased safeguards in future cycles.

"When the MAA learned of the competition leak, our team acted quickly, leveraging the testing technology to investigate instances of cheating and irregular activity,” said Audrey Malagon, MAA Senior Director for Programs. “We regard this matter with the utmost seriousness. We commend every student who participates in our competitions, as well as the dedicated teachers and parents who support them.”

Some of the changes the MAA is implementing include reviewing and revetting the thousands of competition sites, significantly reducing the availability window when the competition is available to students, and restructuring the program management to bring in seasoned leaders to support the operations staff.

This Saturday, August 10, the MAA will honor top student participants in the AMC program. Join us for the Mathematical Olympiads Awards Ceremony from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm at MAA MathFest in Indianapolis, IN. This event celebrates the outstanding mathematical achievements of top US competition students.

Honorees include the 2024 International Mathematical Olympiad team, the European Girls’ Mathematical Olympiad team, the USA Mathematical Olympiad team, and the Young Women in Mathematics Award winners. Additionally, we will acknowledge the 2023 Sliffe Award-winning teachers for their exceptional contributions to nurturing future mathematicians.

Event: Mathematical Olympiads Awards Ceremony
Date: Saturday, August 10
Time: 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Location: White River Ballroom E

For more information on MAA AMC, including how to host a competition, participate, and other ways to get involved, please visit maa.org/amc.

About MAA
The Mathematical Association of America is the world’s largest community of mathematicians, students, and enthusiasts. We accelerate the understanding of our world through mathematics because mathematics drives society and shapes our lives.

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