Sunshine Coast scores maths ‘world championships’ in Qld first

Queensland has pulled off a major international coup, landing a prestigious event that has been held in Australia only once before in more than six decades.

Hundreds of the world’s smartest kids will descend on the Sunshine Coast for the 2025 International Maths Olympiad after the region secured the prestigious international event for Australia for only the second time in its 65-year history.

It’s the first time Queensland will host the Olympiad, regarded as the mathematics world championships for high school students.

More than 600 maths whiz kids from over 100 nations are expected to take part in the event, to be held at the Novotel Twin Waters Resort next July.

Mathematics students Daniel Probert, Hanina Ward, Neve Fleming and Aidan Chumbley from Matthew Flinders Anglican College who are preparing for the International Maths Olympiad to be held on the Sunshine Coast. Picture Lachie Millard

First held in Romania in 1959, the competition has only been hosted by Australia once – in Canberra in 1988.

The Australian Maths Trust, Sunshine Coast Regional Council and Visit Sunshine Coast joined forces to help land the major coup.

Australian Maths Trust CEO Nathan Ford said the IMO would bring some of the world’s brightest young minds to the coast and put maths in the spotlight.

“This is huge for mathematics in this country,” he said.

“We are thrilled to be welcoming school students of Year 9 to 12 level, or equivalent, from all over the world.

“We also can’t wait to see what our own Australian team, to be announced in May 2025, can achieve on home soil.”

“Our vision, through supporting competitions such as IMO, is to build a nation of creative problem solvers, and we are excited to bring this opportunity to the world in 2025.’’

Mathematics students Daniel Probert, Aidan Chumbley, Hanina Ward and Neve Fleming from Matthew Flinders Anglican College who are preparing for the International Maths Olympiad to be held on the Sunshine Coast. Picture Lachie Millard

Sunshine Coast mayor Rosanna Natoli said hosting the Olympiad was a first not only for the region but the entire state.

“Events like this strengthen our economy now and in the future, and they align with our knowledge economy, one of the high value industries important for economic growth on the Sunshine Coast,” she said.

Mayor Natoli said the competitors and supporters would also have the opportunity to explore the Sunshine Coast as part of their visit.

Matthew Flinders Anglican College principal Michelle Carroll said students were aiming to go for gold at the Olympiad.

Ms Carroll said the school had produced many maths whizzes, including Ben Szabo-Virag who won a silver medal at the 2022 Australian Maths Olympiad.

“At Flinders, we have many keen maths students who embrace the opportunity to compete at a high level and put their intense study efforts to the test,” she said.