Local math whiz wins international competition
Posted Jul 27, 2015 04:35:32 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
An 18-year-old Waterloo native has won the prestigious International Mathematical Olympiad in Thailand.
Alex Song recorded a rare perfect score in last week’s competition involving more than 600 of the world’s top high school math students.
With the win, Song becomes the all-time leader in the competition with five gold medals and one bronze during his career.
Math Team Canada finished ninth in the 104 nation competition.
While Song says he’s pleased with his latest victory, he adds that it wasn’t really that big of a deal.
His coach, the leader of Math Team Canada, begs to differ.
Jacob Tsimerman, a math professor at the University of Toronto, says Alex is “unique and destined for greatness.”
Song grew up in Waterloo, before moving to New Hampshire to start high school in 2011.
He says he plans to study pure mathematics at Princeton University in the fall.
