CONTACT:
DR. WALTER E. MIENTKA, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
AMERICAN MATHEMATICS COMPETITIONS
TELEPHONE: 402-472-2257
FAX: 402-472-6087
e-MAIL: walter@amc.unl.edu

Competing against teams representing 76 countries, a team of six American high school students won six medals at the 39th International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) held in Taipei, Taiwan July 15 and 16, 1998.

The top 12 teams and their scores (out of a possible 252 points) were: Iran (211), Bulgaria (195), USA (186), Hungary (186), Taiwan (184), Russia (175) India (174), Ukraine (166), Vietnam (158), Yugoslavia (156), Romania (155), Korea (154).

Titu Andreescu, from the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy in Aurora, Illinois, the Head Coach and Leader of the Team asserted:

"We had a very young and ambitious team this year. Everyone gave their utmost and our team successfully defended its position among the IMO power houses. Competing against 413 students from around the world, all USA team members achieved gold or silver medals. We conducted an intensive four-week training program preceding the competition and our hard work paid off one more time. We are very happy that our team continues to maintain its world high ranking in the IMO."

The team was also accompanied by Professor Elgin Johnston from Iowa State University, who was the Deputy of the Leader, and Professor Walter E. Mientka, from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, who was the Official U.S.A. Leader Observer.

The U.S. team was chosen on the basis of performance in the 27th annual U.S.A. Mathematical Olympiad held in May of this year. The Mathematical Olympiad Summer Program was held at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, June 10-July 9, 1998.

The U.S.A. Mathematical Olympiad is an activity of the American Mathematics Competitions (AMC) which is sponsored by twelve national associations in the mathematical sciences. The AMC is a program of the Mathematical Association of America. Financial and program support is provided by the Army Research Office, the Office of Naval Research, Microsoft Corporation, the Matilda R. Wilson Fund, and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

The 1998 IMO team members:

1. Reid Barton
   Home Schooled
   Arlington, MA
   Gold Medalist
2. Gabriel Carroll
   Oakland Technical High School
   Oakland, CA
   Gold Medalist
3. Kevin Lacker
   Sycamore High School
   Cincinnati, OH
   Silver Medalist
4. Sasha Schwartz
   Radnor High School
   Radnor, PA
   Gold Medalist
5. Paul Valiant
   Milton Academy
   Milton, MA
   Silver Medalist
6. Melanie Wood
   Park Tudor School
   Indianapolis, IN
   Silver Medalist