The Russian schoolgirl who won the European Olympiad in Mathematics shared her experiences

Russian schoolgirls showed the best results at the European Mathematical Olympiad for Girls. This Olympiad was specially invented by the European community in 2012 in order to prove that girls understand mathematics as well as men! “MK” talked with one of the “golden” winners – Moscow tenth grader Natalia Lenskaya about her impressions of participating in the competition.

The European Mathematics Olympiad was held in Slovenia from 14 to 17 April and the Russian team won four gold medals. All participants scored 42 points out of 42 possible! Alas, Russian schoolgirls participated in it online at the site of the Moscow school. The girls performed individual tasks for two days under the guns of CCTV cameras.

Here are the names of the four winners: Natalia Lenskaya (school No. 2086, Moscow), Alisa Volkova (Presidential Physics and Mathematics Lyceum No. 239, St. Petersburg), Victoria Fakanova (Second School Lyceum, Moscow) and Ralina Yusupova (school of the Center for Pedagogical Excellence , Moscow).

– I have been fond of mathematics since elementary school: then I participated in the Olympiads “Autumn Olympus”, “Spring Olympus” and others, – Natasha Lenskaya told us. – Then I transferred to a mathematical class, in which I still study with wonderful teachers Petukhov Alexei Vladimirovich, Ivanova Elena Yurievna, Frolov Ivan Ilyich and others. However, I took up mathematics quite seriously in the 6th grade, when I got into the circle of candidates for the Moscow team at the Center for Pedagogical Excellence.

– What contributed more to victory, ability or perseverance and work?

– I believe that, in general, both abilities and hard work are needed for success, but in my case, it seems to me that the fact that I am well trained and learn new material well played a big role. And, of course, the fact that I had excellent teachers.

– Mathematics absorbs all the time or do you have other hobbies?

– I love history and literature very much, I study English seriously. Also this year she took up economics. In the future, I want to become, most likely, a teacher of Olympiad mathematics, I really like this job. And in my free time I like to read books, sometimes watch films, especially on history. And when there is an opportunity – to meet with friends, play “board” and “hat”.

– Tell us about your impressions of participation in the Olympiad.

– Of course, participation in EGMO was nervous: at first there was a tense selection, and then, when I was selected to participate, it was terrible to let everyone down. However, the success on the first day – when we solved everything in two hours of the four and a half given to us – greatly facilitated the experience, and on the second day I was almost not worried. The cherished 42/42, of course, brought great joy and relief.

– Was it a shame that you didn’t participate “live”, but online?

– Regarding remote participation – yes, this is indeed somewhat insulting. I would like to visit Slovenia (I have never been there), but the main thing is to get to know participants and leaders from other countries, because except at EGMO, I have little chance of meeting them. And that would be an amazing experience, because it’s always interesting to talk to smart people, compare your training experience with practice in other countries, take note of something…

“More than 50 countries participated in European mathematical competitions, this is a very authoritative Olympiad,” Ivan Yashchenko, executive secretary of the Russian Council of School Olympiads, scientific director of the Center for Pedagogical Excellence, told MK. – And it cannot be said that simple tasks are given to girls at such Olympiads, easier than boys. The level of tasks is very high. And more and more often our girls win not only in the European, but also in the International Mathematical Olympiad (the problems at the European Olympiad are still a little simpler than at the international one). Holding such an Olympiad is intended to refute the widespread opinion that “mathematics is not for girls.”

Today, mathematics is not some kind of abstract science (although we remember the famous Russian mathematician Sofya Kovalevskaya), it has a huge number of applications, primarily in the IT industry and AI (artificial intelligence). And I am absolutely sure that the revolution in digital technologies will be connected with the fact that today more and more girls go into this area and achieve great success there. Now in Moscow, more than a quarter of diplomas at mathematics olympiads are received by girls, although even 10 years ago there were only a few of them, because there was a prejudice – both among parents and teachers, that girls were better at Russian language and literature, drawing, etc. But now this prejudice is refuted by life itself. So our participants are an example for all the girls: don’t forget about math! She does not “dry women’s brains”, as was once believed. This is a bright, beautiful, fascinating science.

Recall that Russia has been participating in the European Girls’ Mathematical Olympiad since 2016. Russian schoolgirls also won gold medals last year. Now two of the current winners – Alice and Ralina – are preparing for the 64th International Mathematics Olympiad in Japan.