Chapter 4014 4016 [First Prize]
When the time came on July 10th, Xiang Nan first took a train to Beijing, and then flew to Daegu, South Korea, with his team members to participate in the International Mathematical Olympiad held there.
Huang Shu, Wang Di, Feng Xuejiao, and even principal Zhang Rongguang, teaching director Chen Zirong, class teacher Fan Chengzhi, etc. came to the station to see him off.
“Student Qin, you must work hard, perform well, and make new contributions to our education.” Zhang Rongguang earnestly asked.
If Xiang Nan can achieve good results in the International Olympics, the name of Yuying Middle School will surely be heard throughout Shendong. When the time comes, he will be judged as a principal and will be judged as an "advanced educator" by the end of the year. There will be absolutely no problem.
“Don’t worry, principal, I will do my best.” Xiang Nan nodded and smiled.
"Wang Di, Huang Shu, and Feng Xuejiao, I'm going to go for half a month this time. Don't waste your studies during this half month." Xiang Nan then told Wang Di and the others, "If a young man doesn't work hard, the boss will be miserable. The college entrance examination is coming up in a year, so don’t slack off.”
“Don’t worry, we all know it.” Wang Di nodded.
Xiang Nan smiled, waved goodbye to everyone, and got on the train to the capital.
…
After arriving in the capital, meeting up with the team members, taking a short rest, and then taking a plane to Daegu the next day.
Daegu is the fourth largest city in South Korea, after Seoul, Busan and Incheon. With a population of more than two million, it can be considered a big city. Of course, it is incomparable to Shendong, whose urban population is as high as five million.
After arriving in Daegu, Xiang Nan and others, led by the team leader and translator, first went to the organizing committee to report. After completing the formalities, they stayed at the hotel arranged by the organizing committee.
In this process, Xiang Nan helped a lot.
It turns out that the tour leader only speaks Mandarin and English, and is not very proficient in Korean. Although I brought a translator, I was not very good at translating. If you are busy here, you won't be able to take care of that, and you will inevitably feel a little overwhelmed.
Xiang Nan happened to speak Korean and helped with a lot of translation work, which surprised the team leader and team members.
“Qin Li, you can actually speak Korean?” they asked in surprise.
"Yes, there are many Koreans in Shendong, our neighbors are them. I have played with them since I was a child, so I learned it." Xiang Nan casually made an excuse.
“It seems that I made the right choice to join the national team.” The team leader smiled and nodded.
…
On the 12th, after Xiang Nan and others arrived in Daegu, they had a night's rest before the International Mathematical Olympiad competition arrived.
The competition runs from the 13th to the 25th, a total of twelve days. There are many links including opening ceremony, examination, visit, score distribution, closing ceremony and so on.
A total of 82 countries and regions participated in this competition, with a total of 461 candidates. It can be said that it is a gathering of elites, and the competition is destined to be fierce.
Fortunately, Xiang Nan was prepared and was not nervous at all.
The exam officially begins on the 15th. The exam is divided into two days, with three questions each day, worth seven points each, and four and a half hours to answer the questions. After the exam is completed, the judges will score based on the problem-solving process, answers, etc., and finally select the first, second, and third prizes.
The number of winners will not exceed half of the contestants. The ratio of the first, second and third prizes is roughly one to two to three. Therefore, it is still relatively difficult to win the award.
But it doesn’t matter who you compare with. For Xiang Nan, the Mathematical Olympiad is really not too difficult, so he finished the questions early in the two-day exam.
Xiang Nan is not very interested in this.
When it comes to scenic spots and historic sites, how can South Korea compare to China? When it comes to advanced technology, he has seen the technology of seventy years later. When it comes to culture and entertainment, South Korea’s entertainment basically copies Europe, America, and Japan... so he just read it in a superficial way. Look, I don’t think it’s interesting at all. On the 24th, the results were finally released.
Team leaders and team members from various countries gathered in the hall, anxiously waiting for the results to be announced.
The list of non-winners was announced first, with a total of more than 230 people. As soon as the list was announced, those who were on the list showed disappointed expressions, and some even shed tears sadly.
“Okay, there’s no us.” The Chinese team leader said happily after looking at it again.
Then the third prize was announced, with a total of sixty-nine people. After the list was announced, some were happy and some were regretful.
“Not us, it seems that we are at least second prize.” The Chinese team leader smiled.
Xiang Nan and others nodded.
The second prizes were subsequently announced, totaling forty-six people. After the list was announced, many people were happy.
“We’re not here yet, okay, that’s it, we’re all going to win first prize.” The Chinese team leader said proudly.
Sure enough, the first prize was announced immediately, and all six Chinese team members were included.
Xiang Nan and another classmate even got full marks, which also helped the Chinese team take first place in the overall score.
…
“Qin Li, there are only six people with perfect scores in this Olympiad, and you are among them. You’re really good!”
"Qin Li, you are really awesome for getting perfect marks in the exam. Even if you don't agree with me, I will obey you."
“It’s a pity, buddy, you recommended me to Dongda University. If I recommended you to Tsinghua University, we can be together again.”
After the results came out, everyone congratulated Xiang Nan.
Xiang Nan humbly greeted everyone, and then received the first prize medal, certificate and trophy as a reward for the first prize.
As the only six perfect score winners in this Mathematical Olympiad competition, Xiang Nan subsequently received invitations from well-known universities around the world, such as Harvard, Cambridge, Oxford, Yale, Stanford, Imperial College, Tokyo University, etc.
For these universities, outstanding talents like Xiang Nan are really worth recruiting. But Xiang Nan naturally wouldn't go. He declined invitations from all schools.
On the 25th, after the closing ceremony, the Chinese team returned to China by plane and received a warm welcome at the airport.
Not only did the Chinese Mathematical Olympiad Organizing Committee personally come to the airport to welcome the Chinese Mathematical Olympiad team back home with honors, but CCTV also specially sent reporters to conduct interviews.
On the 26th, the Olympic Games Organizing Committee held a grand celebration and commendation event in Beijing. Xiang Nan and other six team members who achieved outstanding results were grandly commended.
Therefore, it was not until the 27th that Xiang Nan was able to return to Shendong by car.
At Shendong Station, the Provincial Olympic Organizing Committee, Liaoyuan TV Station, and Yuying Middle School all sent people to pick up the bus.
“Classmate Qin Li, you are so outstanding, so outstanding, and your performance is so great. You have won honors for us, Liaoyuan, and for our Yuying Middle School.” Everyone gathered around Xiang Nanyitong and praised.
Liaoyuan is also planning to conduct an exclusive interview with Xiang Nan, which will be broadcast on satellite TV.
Because Xiang Nan's results are so outstanding, he is the only six National Olympiad team members in the country and the only six full-scoring candidates in the International Mathematical Olympiad competition. He not only won the first prize, but also helped the country win the first place in the overall score. Such talents, such outstanding talents, naturally deserve to be praised.