Ukrainian Schoolchildren Triumph at the European Mathematics Olympiad
Between April 23 and 29, the first European Mathematics Olympiad took place in Vilnius, where Ukrainian students secured the top spot in the team rankings. A total of 124 participants from 19 countries competed, with Ukraine fielding two squads: a main team and a junior team. Out of 12 students representing eight regions of the country, the Ukrainian delegation earned three gold and five bronze medals.
Olympiad Organizers and Participants
The event was organized by Lithuania’s MO Akademija and the Ukrainian Mathematical Olympiad community. Each nation was allowed to send up to six contestants, but Lithuania and Ukraine were granted the privilege of entering two teams each. The members of the Ukrainian teams were:
- Ostap Hishchak
- Oleksandr Horbunov
- Volodymyr Hryn
- Volodymyr Pryhunov
- Dmytro Smohol
- Ivan Kharchuk
- Andrii Atamanenko
- Yehor Vara
- Pavlo Verbytskyi
- Daniil Hrybuks
- Anna-Maria Kuzan
- Nazar Khomiak
Team leaders were Artem Urazovskyi and Klymentii Zolotarov.
This victory marks a significant milestone for Ukrainian students, showcasing their advanced knowledge and skills in mathematics. Notably, pupils from the Irpin Lyceum also earned recognition by taking second place at the international Teens in AI 2026 techathon. Furthermore, Ukraine was the only country to conduct the PISA-2022 assessment amid a full-scale war. As Education Minister Oksen Lisovyi noted,
“natural sciences are still chosen less frequently than other NMT subjects by applicants.”
These achievements underscore the critical importance of advancing education and science in Ukraine, even under difficult circumstances.
The success of Ukrainian students at the European Mathematics Olympiad highlights the country’s strong educational standards despite the challenges of war. This accomplishment could inspire young people to pursue further learning and compete internationally, while also emphasizing the need to support mathematics education in Ukraine. Alongside other accolades, such as successes in global contests, these results point to the potential of Ukrainian pupils in STEM fields—a key factor for their competitiveness on the world stage.
In addition to their remarkable success in mathematics, Ukrainian youth are also making strides in various sports. For instance, the country's junior taekwondo team recently secured two medals at the World Championships, showcasing their dedication and talent on an international stage. To learn more about their achievements and the impact of sports on youth development in Ukraine, read about their performance at the World Championships.