After winning his fifth gold medal at this year’s International Mathematical Olympiad, which took place in Shanghai, Tonbridge School pupil Alex Chui has become the most decorated IMO participant of all time.
Dr Geoff Smith, Chair of Trustees at UKMT, said, “The dazzling performance of the British pupils at IMO 2026 will lift the spirits of everyone who celebrates excellence in education and problem solving. They all did well, but Alex Chui’s achievement in becoming the most decorated IMO contestant of all time is astonishing.”
Alex was one of seven competitors out of 666 to receive a perfect score of 42/42, an incredible achievement!
He now sits at the top of the all-time International Mathematical Olympiad Hall of Fame, having won five gold medals and two silver medals across his IMO career. The previous record was held by Peruvian mathematician Raúl Arturo Chávez Sarmiento who won a bronze medal in 2009 at just 11 years old, making him the second-youngest medalist in IMO history after famous mathematician Terence Tao who won a bronze medal aged 10 in 1986, silver aged 11 in 1987 and gold in 1988.
Overall, the UK team placed 8th out of all 117 participating teams. The top 10 teams this year were:
- People’s Republic of China
- USA
- Russian Federation
- Singapore
- Vietnam
- Republic of Korea
- India
- Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (tied 8th place)
United Kingdom (tied 8th place) - Japan
- Brazil