A FILIPINO senior high school student finished 4th overall among the world’s best high school mathematicians.

Andres Rico Gonzales III of De La Salle University Integrated School won the gold medal and placed 4th overall at the International Mathematics Olympiad (IMO).

The finish was the highest individual placing achieved by any Filipino in the meet so far.

Gonzales previously bagged a bronze medal last year and received an honorable mention in 2018.

Other medal winners for the Philippine delegation were Raphael Dylan Dalida of Philippine Science High School-Main, and Bryce Ainsley Sanchez of Grace Christian College, who both bagged bronze medals. The duo emerged bronze medalists, too, last year.

Meanwhile, honorable mentions were given to Immanuel Josiah Baleta of St. Stephen’s High School, Sarji Elijah Bona of Palawan Hope Christian School / De La Salle University Integrated School, and Vincent dela Cruz of Valenzuela City School of Mathematics and Science.

The Philippines now has total of 12 silver and 33 bronze medals, including 26 honorable mentions since it first competed in the Math Olympiad in 1988.

IMO 2020 was supposed to be held in St. Petersburg in Russia, but due to the Covid19 pandemic, the competition was held online.

A total of 606 contestants from 105 countries participated in the event.