Credit: International Mathematical Olympiad
This year, the 65th International Mathematical Olympiad was hosted in Bath, UK, from 11 to 22 July 2024, welcoming over 600 competitors from more than 110 countries, including Luxembourg.
The International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) is the World Championship Mathematics Competition for High School students and is held annually in a different country.
Luxembourg first participated in the IMO in 1979; it has taken part in the competition 39 times thus far. Over the years, the Grand Duchy earned two gold medals, five silver medals and 24 bronze medals as well as 28 honourable mentions. In 2024, the country earned one bronze medal and three honourable mentions. Furthermore, its ranking improved from 101 (in 2023) to 78 over one year.
The event represents the conclusion of many years of effort in mathematics and “hundreds of attempts at solving incredibly complex problems”. The IMO Jury voted to reassign the hosting of IMO 2024 from Ukraine to the UK, due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The IMO Board and the organisers of IMO 2024 expressed their hope that there will be an IMO in Ukraine as soon as conditions allow.
The competition involves teams of up to six contestants (aged between fourteen to eighteen years old) sitting two exams on consecutive days. Each exam lasts 4.5 hours and contains three tough problems. Contestants are awarded Gold, Silver and Bronze medals, as well as Honourable Mentions for good effort.
The first IMO was held in 1959 in Romania, with seven countries participating. It has gradually expanded to over 100 countries from five continents. The IMO Board aims to ensure that the competition takes place each year and that each host country observes the official IMO regulations and traditions.
The 66th International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) is set to take place on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, in Australia in 2025.
