Four Israeli high school students brought home top honors from the European Girls' Mathematical Olympiad (EGMO), held this year in Pristina, Kosovo, according to a press release on Tuesday.The Israeli team won two gold medals and received two honorable mentions, placing among the top ranks out of 219 participants representing 56 countries.Neta Ilani, a 12th-grade student from De Shalit High School in Rehovot, placed 5th overall in the competition. Olga Basov, an 11th-grade student from Ironi G High School in Haifa, also won a gold medal and placed 11th internationally. Both are graduates of the Israeli Young Scientists Team, with Ilani currently participating in Israel's national teams in physics and computer science.Two additional team members earned honorable mentions: Maayan Ravid, a 12th-grade student from the Kfar Hayarok school in Tel Aviv, and Maya Cohen, an 11th-grade student from the same school. Ravid is a member of the national biology team, while Cohen is part of the computer science team.Israel and the competitionThe competition, which spans two days, challenges participants with advanced problems in algebra, combinatorics, geometry, number theory, and elementary mathematics. EGMO aims to encourage young women to excel in mathematics through international exposure and high-level academic competition.Math Illustration. (credit: Gorodenkoff. Via Shutterstock)Israel has participated in the Olympiad for the past decade. This year's delegation was trained at the Weizmann Institute of Science under the guidance of Prof. Dmitry Novikov, the academic director, and head coach Lev Radziwillovsky. The team was accompanied by delegation head Yarden Modai, Shira Ben Dor, and Dr. Dan Carmon.The program is supported by Israel's Education Ministry and the Maimonides Fund's Future Scientists Center, which together lead the training of Israel's science Olympiad teams. The students undergo rigorous academic preparation, including personal mentoring and enrichment, to reach the highest levels of international competition.Education Ministry Director General Meir Shimoni described the team's success as the outcome of a consistent and professional educational path committed to excellence. Future Scientists Center Chairman Yarom Ariav referred to the students' achievements as a source of national pride, while CEO Eli Freed emphasized the continued investment in science and technology education. Weizmann Institute President Prof. Alon Chen highlighted the role of curiosity and determination in achieving such results, noting the importance of nurturing future scientific leaders.
