11 November 2009
MEDIA RELEASE
Sydney students head to Canberra to receive Medals
for outstanding performance
Six Sydney students are among the 26 Australian medallists in the 32nd annual Australian
Mathematics Competition (AMC) who will be presented with awards by Professor Kurt Lambeck,
President, Australian Academy of Science at a special ceremony in Canberra on Friday, 13
November 2009 at the Shine Dome at 11am.
Several hundred thousand entrants from schools across 42 countries entered this year’s
Competition and only 71 medals have been awarded globally to approximately the top 0.01% of
the students who sat the AMC.
The AMC is the major mathematics school enrichment event in the South Pacific region. In each division of
the competition, a limited number of medals are awarded for performances that are outstanding both within
a state or country and overall in the Competition.
RACHEL
WONG
Year 8
JAMES RUSE AGRICULTURAL HIGH SCHOOL
CARLINGFORD
LESLIE
LAY-KENNEDY
8
NORTH SYDNEY BOYS HIGH SCHOOL
CROWS NEST
RADMAN ZHANG
8
SHORE SCHOOL
NORTH SYDNEY
IVAN
YAU
10
BARKER COLLEGE
HORNSBY
TAHSIN
ALI
9
JAMES RUSE AGRICULTURAL HIGH SCHOOL CARLINGFORD
STACEY
LAW
11
JAMES RUSE AGRICULTURAL HIGH SCHOOL CARLINGFORD
Professor Peter Taylor, Executive Director of the not-for-profit Australian Mathematics Trust that
administers the AMC, will present a Peter O’Halloran Award to Rachel Wong for achieving a
perfect score – one of only two awarded in Australia.
Professor Taylor said, “The AMC aims to encourage students of all standards in their study of
mathematics. It sets out to demonstrate how mathematics can be used in the world around them via
problem solving using the skills students learn in the classroom. The AMC has also been useful in
identifying talented students such as these and the results are used for inviting students into more
advanced mathematical enrichment programs.”
“In fact, Australia’s leading Mathematicians under the age of 40 were discovered and
developed as a result of their participation in the AMC”, he concluded.
The University of Canberra and the Canberra Mathematical Association in Australia are
supporting sponsors of the AMC.
For further information or to arrange interviews, please contact:
Professor Peter Taylor, Executive Director, Australian Mathematics Trust, 0412 258 699
Suzanne Fraser, Manager, Australian Mathematics Trust, 0437 670 610
Bill Akhurst, AMC State Director for NSW, 02 9451 2530
(Bio notes follow)
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PROFILES OF THE 2009 AMC MEDALLISTS IN SYDNEY
Leslie Lay-Kennedy
School:
North Sydney Boys High School; Year: 8
Leslie received a High Distinction in the 2009 Maths Challenge and an AMC Prize
Certificate in 2008. He also received a High Distinction in the 2009 National
Geography Competition and was Dux of Year 6. Leslie’s interests include reading,
cricket, skiing and travel. He is unsure of his future career but enjoys maths, science
and Japanese. He hopes to travel the world.
Rachel Wong
School:
James Ruse Agricultural High School; Year: 8
Rachel received a Platinum Award in the 2007 APMOPS and was Dux of Beecroft
Primary School. She enjoys music (piano, violin and French horn). Rachel has not
decided on her future career path.
Radman Zhang
School:
Shore School; Year: 8
Radman also achieved second place in the North Shore Problem Solving
competition. He enjoys playing badminton. Radman’s future aspirations are to be
rich and to get a job.
Tahsin Ali
School:
James Ruse Agricultural High School; Year: 9
Tahsin enjoys sports such as karate and science documentaries. He likes reading
and researching the scientific reasons behind any occurrence. Tahsin hopes to
become a doctor.
Ivan Yau
School:
Barker College; Year: 10
Ivan’s interests include internet, television, sports, piano and reading. He hopes to
have a career in mathematics or science.
Stacey Law
School:
James Ruse Agricultural High School; Year: 11
Stacey was awarded a Bronze medal at the 2009 IMO. She received Gold
certificates in the AMO in 2008 and 2009. Stacey was also Grade Dux at James
Ruse Agricultural High School for the past 3 years and achieved a Bronze Award in
the Duke of Edinburgh programme. Her interests include music, mathematics,
tennis, painting and sketching. Stacey is still undecided about her future career but
expects it will be in an area related to maths.
NEWS 
