New Lifers Triumph at the World Mathematics Team Championship
MGC New Life Christian Academy (MGCNLCA) mathletes scooped 10 medals at the recently-concluded World Mathematics Team Championship (WMTC) 2023 held at Sondo Conventia, in Seoul, South Korea last November 25 to 28.
With a total of 705 participants, 96 teams across 20 regions from more than 10 countries, the two-team delegation of MGCNLCA placed within the top 30% in their respective divisions.
The WMTC consisted of three rounds: individual (60 minutes), relay (24 minutes), and team (40 minutes). For the individual round, Caitlyn Stephanie Yu and Elliot Xander Albano finished with gold. Anya Taylor Chong, Eunice Mikayla Valdez, Pierce Victor Takai, Kate Marie Aquino, Nathan Gabriel Hao, and Hans Dominic Gamboa garnered silver, while Sachi Caitlyn Esteban and Kyle Aidan Chua bagged bronze.
Grade 7 students Esteban, Yu, Anya Chong, Aquino, and Valdez, along with Grade 6 student Takai, made up Team Talino for the Junior Division. Meanwhile, Orion King in the Advanced Division consisted of Grade 11 students Annika Kaitlynn Chong, Hao, Carlo Gabriel Chua and Albano, Gamboa, and Kyle Chua of Grade 12. Team Talino and Orion King were coached by high school Math teachers Jan Cedrick Lambatin and Neshie Joyce Guntiñas.
Gold medalist Albano remarked, “Although winning is satisfying, I enjoyed bonding with my teammates and Mr. Lambatin while walking on a trail or shopping. It definitely helped us adjust to the weather and have quality time with each other.”
”The experience as a whole was fun and exciting but the anticipation and suspense before the day of awarding was my favorite part. I also liked the weather and food because of how different it was from the Philippines,” commented fellow gold medalist Yu.
First held in Beijing, China in November 2010, WMTC aims to encourage teamwork among mathletes through their “team-oriented” examinations. It also gives the student participants an opportunity to get to meet people from other cultures and countries.
