Mirim medalists prepare for the 1st phase of the 21st OBMEP

More than medals and awards, the Youth Olympics-OBMEP has awakened in children an interest in mathematics, a taste for challenges and confidence in their own potential. For medal winners Sofia Dutra and Lucca Azeredo, both 11, the experience of the test was fun, stimulating and transformative.

A gold medalist in two editions of the Olimpíada Mirim and also a prize-winner in the Rio de Janeiro State Mathematical Olympiad (OMERJ), Sofia says that the competition played an important role in her academic development and in the way she came to see mathematics.

“The Mirim test has a different structure from other tests and I learned things that I can use in other Olympics too,” says the student, who is currently in Fridays grade and will be taking part in OBMEP for the first time.

For her, one of the main differences of the Olympiad is the creative way in which the questions are presented. “When we do OBMEP Mirim or study for OBMEP, we enter the world of the stories they tell. You can calculate and think in a fun and interesting way. The test is a pleasure to take,” he says.

Accustomed to studying through question banks and previous exams, she also shares a tip for those who want to take part in the competition. “I always tell everyone: you have to understand the way of the test, because it has its own way.”

The student’s mother, Cristina Dutra, 42, believes that the Junior Olympics helped strengthen her daughter’s self-confidence from an early age. “Sofia started believing in herself at a very young age. The competition showed that she could achieve great things and opened up new horizons for her,” she says.

According to Cristina, her daughter’s interest in logic appeared at an early age. “She always liked challenges and wanted to learn beyond what was taught at school. The Olympiad really helped to stimulate that.”

For her, the initiative goes beyond academic performance. “Even those who don’t know about the Olympics should take part for the experience. Children begin to realize their own potential, gain confidence and come to believe that they can go further,” she adds.

Lucca Bianco Azeredo, 11, a bronze medalist in Wednesdays grade and silver medalist in Thursdays grade at the Olimpíada Mirim, shares this perception. He is also currently studying for level 1 of the 21st OBMEP. For Lucca, both Mirim and OBMEP are an opportunity to face challenges different from those encountered at school.

“I think the Olympiad is a good way of challenging students, both from public and private schools. It’s different from school tests, with calculus, logic and a different way of thinking,” he says.

Passionate about math since he was little, Lucca says that the subject has always been part of his routine. “I’ve always liked it. Ever since kindergarten, when I started learning,” says the student, who already has new goals for the upcoming competitions. “I’m studying and preparing. I want to get silver at OBMEP.”

His mother, 47-year-old lawyer Michelle Bianco, highlights the positive impact of the Olympics on her son’s motivation and study habits. “Lucca likes to be challenged. The medals and objectives make him want to learn more. The Olympics awakens this desire to excel,” she says.

Michelle also notes that the competition stimulates children’s autonomy in their studies. “The questions are different and arouse curiosity. They research on their own, make their own question bank and create their own study routine. That makes a big difference.”

Held since 2022 by IMPA, the Olimpíada Mirim is open for registration until June 8. Aimed at students in the Mondays to Thursdays grades of elementary school, the initiative seeks to awaken interest in mathematics in a playful and creative way, encouraging children from all over the country to develop logical reasoning, autonomy in their studies and the confidence to face new challenges. Entries for the Olimpíada Mirim-OBMEP are made exclusively by educational institutions or education departments on the official website. Go here.