Olivia Castleden, a pupil at Somerset College, was chosen to form part of the South African team of young mathematicians who competed in the 2024 Pan-African Mathematics Olympiad in Johannesburg.
Somerset West pupil Olivia Castleden, a Grade 8 pupil at Somerset College, was one of a team of six mathematics contestants representing South Africa at the annual Pan-African Mathematics Olympiad (PAMO) earlier this month.
During the Olympiad hosted from Sunday August 11 to Thursday August 22, at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, Olivia impressively bagged a bronze medal.
Her Dad, Peter Castleden, said about Olivia’s latest mathematical achievement. “We’re very proud of Olivia. She set herself goals to succeed with math a few years back and it's great to see her making progress towards them.”
According to a statement issued by the South African Mathematics Foundation (SAMF), the Olympiad, organised by the African Mathematical Union (AMU), has been a key platform for mathematical excellence across Africa since its inception in 1987.
The foundation said the team was coordinated by the SAMF and sponsored by Old Mutual and the South African Institute for Chartered Accountants (SAICA).
“South Africa’s overall performance placed them in 4th position, just behind Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia. These results are a testament to the dedication and hard work of the students, their educators, and their families,” said the SAMF in this statement.
Other team members were pupils Noah Jacobsen, in Grade 12 from St John’s College, who won a gold medal; another gold medal winner Pocoyo Pun, in Grade 9 from Elkanah House; Grant Hacking a Grade 11 pupil from the American International School of Cape Town won a silver medal; Neo Leseilane in Grade 12 from Roedean School, also won a bronze medal and from Durban Girls’ College Anni Luo in Grade 10, was another bronze medal winner.
The South African team was led by team leader Malwande Nkonyane, an investment analyst, supported by Kgaugelo Bopape as deputy leader of the team.
Malwande said: “As the leader of this exceptional team, I cannot express how proud I am of each and every one of our students. Their dedication, resilience, and passion for mathematics have truly shone through at this year’s PAMO.
“It has been an absolute honour to lead such a talented group of young minds, and I am equally grateful to have had the support of our deputy team leader, Kgaugelo Bopape (a mathematics honours student), whose guidance and encouragement were invaluable throughout this journey.”
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