Alex Chui, a Year 13 student from Tonbridge School in Kent, has become the most decorated competitor in the history of the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO). Chui achieved this distinction after securing his fifth gold medal at this year's event in Shanghai, China, where he also attained a perfect score of 42 out of 42.
Competing against more than 600 participants, Chui's perfect score in his final IMO competition marks a historic achievement for the tournament, which began in 1959. His five gold medals, combined with previous silver medals, solidify his position as the most successful participant ever.
Chui, who began competing in the IMO at age 12 for Hong Kong's team, described his final competition as "particularly meaningful" and felt "extra pressure" to make the most of his last opportunity. He noted that while one combinatorics question was difficult, he ultimately found the tournament "very enjoyable" and focused on the problems and the experience itself.
His fascination with mathematics began at an early age, sparked by learning about prime numbers and their unexpected properties. Early participation in math contests built his confidence to tackle more challenging problems.
Tonbridge School expressed their enthusiasm for Chui's accomplishment. Owen Elton, Head of Mathematics at the school, stated that Chui's record is unprecedented and that he is likely to remain at the top of the IMO Hall of Fame for decades. Elton also congratulated Chui on his upcoming university studies at Cambridge.
Dr. Dominic Yeo, senior lecturer in mathematics at King's College London and IMO team leader, acknowledged the demanding nature of the IMO problems and praised Chui's "hard work over many years, and remarkable problem-solving creativity" for his perfect score and five gold medals.
Dr. Geoff Smith, chair of trustees at the United Kingdom Maths Trust, highlighted Chui's "astonishing" achievement as the most decorated IMO contestant of all time and noted that the performance of the British pupils at IMO 2026 will uplift those who celebrate excellence in education.
This year, the UK team, entered by the United Kingdom Maths Trust, earned two gold, one silver, and three bronze medals. Alongside Chui's gold, Kevin Wai of Magdalen College School also won gold, and Yuvan Raja of Royal Grammar School Guildford secured silver. Adavya Goyal of St Paul's School, Anango Prabhat, and Michael Sydorenko, both of King's College London Maths School, received bronze medals. The UK team finished 8th out of 117 participating countries.
The IMO is described as the world's most prestigious school-age academic competition. This year's event included two four-and-a-half-hour exam papers taken over two days, with each paper containing three problems of increasing difficulty. Fifty-five students out of 666 participants were awarded gold medals.