Emanuel School student brings back bronze for Australia
Sydney’s Emanuel School student, Daniel Goldbach, has won a bronze medal at the 24th International Olympiad in Informatics (IOI), held in Lake Garda, Italy.
Daniel Goldbach
Daniel was one of four students selected to represent Australia at the Olympiad after a rigorous selection process managed by the Australian Mathematics Trust.
Daniel, who flew to Italy a few weeks prior to the start of his HSC examinations, found the IOI to be a period of discovery and widening of perspective. Daniel commented, “In the opening ceremony, the President of the International Committee gave a fantastic speech . He said the contest itself was a relatively small aspect of the Olympiad, and the real focus was on forging connections and friendships with people from all over the world. I definitely found this to be the case.”
Daniel met and competed against students from the United States, Britain, Ireland, Austria, Italy, Romania, Malaysia and India, among others. Daniel said, “I was amazed to see how similar we all were, and how easy it is to get along with people who live in such different cultures.”
Contestants are challenged to solve six problems in ten hours. Although the Olympiad was a challenging experience, particularly with the HSC looming, Daniel left Italy with a healthy view, “I think the most important thing I’ve learnt from the Olympiad is that in life, results only mean so much. If you define yourself by the marks you gain, you’ll inevitably end up disappointed. What’s really of value is the enjoyment you derive, the things you learn and the experiences you have – and I am immensely glad that I had this experience.”
Emanuel School Principal, Anne Hastings, commented, “Daniel is an exceptional student and a committed individual. His high-level problem-solving skills have been really brought to the fore in informatics. He is an asset to our School and we are proud of his achievements both in Australia and abroad. We know that he has learnt a great deal from his time in Italy and wish him all the best with his HSC examinations.”
