18-year-old student becomes 'legend' at International Mathematical Olympiad

Competing seven times and securing five gold medals, Alex Chui has just set a new record in IMO history.

Alex Chui is the second contestant in the history of the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) to win five gold medals. The first was Zhuo Qun Song, born in 1997, from the Canadian team, who competed in the IMO from 2010-2015.

At IMO 2026, Alex Chui achieved a perfect score, contributing to the British team tying for 8th place with North Korea. Among the 666 contestants this year, only six others besides Alex also achieved a perfect 42/42 points: three students from China, two from the United States, and one from South Korea.

Alex Chui first participated in the IMO in 2020, representing Hong Kong (China), where he earned a silver medal. A year later, he won a gold medal. From 2022 to the present, Alex has competed for the British national team, securing three golds and one silver. Before his perfect score, Alex's individual scores typically ranged from 28 to 35. He currently attends Tonbridge school.

"The most exciting thing about the IMO is meeting friends from all over the world and learning about different cultures while sharing a passion for mathematics," Alex shared on his school's website. He also expressed gratitude to his teachers for regularly sharing advanced math topics, which helped him build confidence and prepare for international competitions.

IMO 2026 took place in Shanghai, China, featuring 119 delegations – the largest participation in 67 years. Each delegation consisted of six contestants, who competed over two days, solving a total of six mathematical problems. The results were announced on 19/7. The Chinese delegation topped the rankings with six gold medals, accumulating a total of 232 out of 252 points.

Eight contestants have previously won four or more IMO gold medals.