Report: International Olympiads
Chemistry Olympiad
At the end of Term 2, Form 7 students O. J. Gunson and J. K. D. Kumar were selected as two of four students in the New Zealand Chemistry Olympiad team. They represented New Zealand at the 55th International Chemistry Olympiad in Switzerland during the Term 2 holidays.
As part of the Olympiad, they were introduced to different aspects of Chemistry at the leading edge between scholarship and industry. Furthermore, competitors from 90 countries sat two exams: a practical and a theoretical exam, each five hours long.
Gunson placed first in New Zealand in the theoretical exam and second in the country for the practical exam, achieving an overall placing of 100th out of the 348 competitors earning him a Silver medal.
Kumar placed second in New Zealand in the theoretical exam and first in the country for the practical exam to achieve an overall placing of 135th, earning him a Bronze medal. A fantastic result and a unique experience for both the students.
Gunson and Kumar crossed stage on Monday 31 July to receive their New Zealand representative badges and the School’s congratulations.
Economics Olympiad
The New Zealand Economics Olympiad involvement with the International Economics Olympiad was suspended last year due to the Russian-Ukraine conflict because International Economics Olympiad is headquartered in Moscow.
For 2023, the University of New South Wales created a new organisation called the Australasian Economics Olympiad (AAEO) with Australia, New Zealand and Singapore invited to compete. The nature of the competition remained elite, with a rigorous selection process.
After two selection rounds, the first consisting of a multiple choice and short answer test and the second additionally having an interview with a panel and a presentation, Senior Prefect A. K. Baker was selected in the team of five to represent New Zealand.
The competition had two rounds. Round one was an individual online essay, where students were asked to write on the US-China trade war amongst other topics. Baker placed second overall in this individual component.
The second part of the competition, a 30-minute presentation on childcare in New Zealand, was held in Sydney, with Baker named as captain of the team. New Zealand placed second overall in this component, narrowly losing out to winners Australia and edging out Singapore in third place.
Baker crossed stage on Friday 21 July to receive his New Zealand representative badge and the School’s congratulations.
Mathematics Olympiad
After many four-hour trial examination papers asking some of the most demanding and thought-provoking mathematical problems, a small group of six able mathematicians were selected to represent New Zealand at the International Mathematics Olympiad Competition.
Two of the team members selected were Form 5 students from Auckland Grammar School. The team travelled to Chiba, Japan, during the Term 2 holidays to attend the week-long international competition. 112 countries participated and after the results were collated, the New Zealand team were ranked 64th in the world, gaining a bronze medal and five further Honourable Mentions.
Congratulations to B. Dai and H. Wang for their Honourable Mention awards and representing New Zealand as members of the Mathematics Olympiad team. To be selected at such a young age to represent the country at this prestigious international mathematics competition is a real honour.
Dai and Wang crossed stage in the first week of Term 3 to receive their New Zealand representative badges and the School’s congratulations.