South Africa was crowned the 2018 Pan African Mathematics Olympiad (PAMO) champion at the 26th instalment of the competition, which took place from 23 to 30 June 2018, in Nairobi, Kenya. This year, 47 contestants from nine African countries took part in the competition. The South African team came out with flying colours, winning the overall competition, as well as PAMO-G, which is a competition for girls.

The PAMO is a Mathematics Olympiad catering for young African high school learners. Contestants wrote two tests consisting of three Olympiad problems each; with tough questions requiring insight, ingenuity and logical, rigorous proofs.

Countries were ranked by taking the total of the scores of their team members. South Africa was ranked the top team; with Morocco and Tunisia at second and third place respectively. The other participating countries were Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Ivory Coast, Botswana and Ghana.

Gold, silver and bronze medals were awarded, in approximately the ratio 1:2:3, with a total number of medals awarded not more than half of the number of contestants. All six South African contestants walked away with individual medals and these included; grade 10 learner from Horizon International School in Johannesburg, Kgaugelo Bopape, who won the gold medal, while grade 10 learner from Hoërskool Parel Vallei in Somerset West, Danielle Kleyn took home the silver. Other winners included grade 12 learner, also from Horizon International School, Malwande Nkonyane, grade 12 learner from Rondebosch Boys’ High School in Cape Town, Razeen Parker and grade 11 from learner from Hoërskool Menlopark in Pretoria, Klara Eybers, who each earned a silver medal. From Herschel Girls’ High School in Cape Town, grade 12 learner, Amber De Decker took home the bronze medal.

Kgaugelo Bopape came second overall, while Danielle Kleyn, who was crowned Queen of Africa for winning the PAMO-G competition, came fourth overall. In second and third place of PAMO-G were, Klara Eybers, who took home a silver medal, while Amber de Decker took the bronze.

The team achieved this great success under the watchful eye of their team leaders, Dylan Nelson and Lauren Denny, two former medallists of the South African Mathematics Olympiad (SAMO). Nelson described winning the PAMO as a great achievement for the South African team. “I am happy that all of the hard work both before and during the event paid off. I am very proud of the team, especially Kgaugelo, who came second overall and Danielle, who was placed fourth overall and crowned as Queen of Africa,” he said.

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