Teen boy secures historic 5th International Math Olympiad gold with perfect score

Eighteen-year-old Alex Chui has etched his name into the history books of the world's oldest, most prestigious, and most rigorous high school mathematics championship. Representing the United Kingdom at the 2026 International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) in Shanghai, China, the Tonbridge School senior captured his fifth gold medal. This feat makes him only the second contestant in the competition's history to achieve five golds, joining Canada's Zhuo Qun Song. What sets Chui apart is his consistency at the elite level. After competing seven times, he is the first and only competitor to ever win seven medals at the IMO. Alex Chui in a photo on Tonbridge School's website. At this year's competition, held from July 10 to 21, Chui did not just win gold; he achieved absolute perfection. He was one of only seven students, out of 666 total contestants, to earn a maximum score of 42 out of 42 points. He shared this top-tier placement with three students from China, two from the United States, and one from South Korea. His performance helped the U.K. team secure a tie for eighth place alongside North Korea. Chui's IMO journey began in 2020 when he competed for the Hong Kong team, taking home a silver medal. He followed that up with his first gold in 2021. Since switching to represent the U.K. in 2022, he has added three more golds and another silver to his collection. Before this year's perfect run, his scores had consistently ranged between 28 and 35 points. "The most exciting part about the International Mathematical Olympiad is meeting other students from all across the world and getting to know their different cultures while sharing the same passion for maths," Chui shared on his school's website. He credits his environment for much of his success, noting that his teachers regularly explored advanced topics with his class, which built his confidence and prepared him for the global stage. Owen Elton, Tonbridge School's Head of Mathematics, praised the young prodigy's accomplishment in a school's statement: "It is fitting that Alex has capped his unprecedented IMO career with a perfect score. The only competitor ever to have won seven medals, he is likely to sit atop the Hall of Fame for decades. Chui has set to join Cambridge after high school. The 2026 IMO was a landmark event, featuring 119 participating teams, the largest turnout in the competition's 67-year history. Each team fielded up to six contestants who tackled six grueling problems, worth seven points each, over two days of exams on July 15 and 16. When the results were announced on July 19, China emerged as the dominant force, finishing first overall with 232 out of 252 possible points. China was the only team this year to secure gold medals for all six of its members, three of whom finished with perfect scores. The United States and Russia took second and third place, each earning four gold medals. The U.S. edged out Russia in total points, 207 to 196. Notably, Russia landed on the podium in its first return after a multi-year absence. The competition for the remaining top spots was incredibly tight, with the next four places separated by just a single point each. Singapore finished fourth with 169 points, narrowly beating out Vietnam's 168 points. South Korea followed with 167 points, and India 166.