Brit becomes the most successful maths olympiad ever after getting perfect score in toughest school-age exam

By WILL HALLOWELL, NEWS REPORTER Published: 21:29, 26 July 2026 | Updated: 21:33, 26 July 2026 A British schoolboy has become the most decorated competitor in an international school tournament.  Alex Chui, a Year 13 pupil from Tonbridge School in Kent, beat more than 600 participants at the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) to claim first place.  He has now become the most successful competitor in the history of the tournament, first launched in 1959, after winning his fifth gold medal at this year's event in Shanghai, China, earlier this month.  After nine hours of problem-solving, Alex completed his last year at the mathematics championship with a perfect score of 42 out of 42. These five gold medals, along with silver medals, make Alex the most successful championship participant of all time. The sixth form pupil began competing in the IMO when he was 12, then for Hong Kong's team.  He said: 'I really cherished this experience of my last IMO in China, getting to compete alongside my teammates and meet other contestants from around the world.  'I am very happy to be able to round it off with a perfect score, and now looking forward to life at university.'  Year 13 pupil Alex Chui (pictured here with his gold medal while waving a Union Flag) has become the most decorated competitor in the history of the International Mathematical Olympiad Alex said there was one question on combinatorics which was difficult, but the sixth former found the tournament 'very enjoyable'. He said: 'This year was particularly meaningful for me as it was my final IMO, which brought some extra pressure because I wanted to make the most of my last opportunity to compete. 'However, once the competition began, I focused on enjoying the problems and the experience itself.' Alex's love of maths began at an early age. He remembers learning about prime numbers at school and being 'fascinated that such simple objects could have such unexpected properties'.  He had taken part in maths contests from an early age, which is what gave him the confidence to solve more challenging problems.  The sixth former began training for the IMO at the age of nine, which is when he began exploring mathematics in 'much greater depth', he told The Times.    Alex bows out of the International Mathematical Olympiad with a stunning record after winning his final gold medal, alongside 55 of the 666 contestants this year. Tonbridge School celebrated his win by saying they were 'absolutely thrilled' for the star student.  Head of mathematics at Tonbridge, Owen Elton, said: '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.  'We, in Tonbridge School's maths department, are absolutely thrilled for him, wish him luck as he goes up to Cambridge, and will keep a keen eye out for his future mathematical contributions.' Dr Dominic Yeo, senior lecturer in mathematics at King's College London, and IMO team leader, said: 'IMO problems are always challenging, and finding the right approaches to this year's hardest tasks was genuinely demanding.  'To have solved every problem perfectly at IMO 2026 is a formidable achievement, and Alex's five gold medals are a reflection of his hard work over many years, and remarkable problem-solving creativity.'  Dr Geoff Smith, chair of trustees at the United Kingdom Maths Trust, added: 'The dazzling performance of the British pupils at IMO 2026 will lift the spirits of everyone who celebrates excellence in education and problem solving.  'They all did well, but Alex Chui's achievement in becoming the most decorated IMO contestant of all time is astonishing.'  This year, the UK team, entered by the United Kingdom Maths Trust, won two gold, one silver and three bronze medals.  Alongside Alex, Kevin Wai, of Magdalen College School, won gold and Yuvan Raja, of Royal Grammar School Guildford, took home silver. Meanwhile Adavya Goyal, of St Paul's School, Anango Prabhat and Michael Sydorenko, both of King's College London Maths School, secured bronze.  The team finished 8th out of 117 participating countries overall.  Tournament hopefuls have to pass a 'rigorous' process to make the UK team each year, including two rounds of exams and multiple training camps.  The IMO is the world's most prestigious school-age academic competition, this year comprising two four-and-a-half hour exam papers, which were sat across two days. Each paper contained three problems of increasing difficulty. Fifty-five students out of 666 were awarded gold medals.